Remember Me
by SeaChipotle
Summary: Some people are going to fall in love. Some people might want to delay their love story until later. And some might not even know they're in love. Modern AU! Sharryamu, some SinJa and other pairings. (what a cheesy summary)
1. New House

Retrouvailles- the joy of meeting or finding someone again after a long separation; rediscovery.

Yamuraiha rested her head on the window of the old pickup truck. It was a muggy Tuesday- rain- lots of it. She watched as the drops fell onto the glass and slid down to the rusted brown metal which was the passenger seat door. Even the weather seemed to be against her. She let out her hundredth sigh, just loudly enough for her father to hear.

"What's the matter? You keep moping- it's just rain Yamuraiha." he said trying to sound positive. "We'll be there soon- in the meanwhile, why don't you make a game out of the journey? Describe everything you see." He smiled at her stretching out the deep wrinkles on his freckled face.

"Fine," she complied. She rolled down the window to get a better glimpse at the passing scenery to her left. "Tree, cow, tree, flower, tree, tree, suspicious looking silo- and oh look even more tree!" She rolled the window back up. "Wow, what a game. Golly me- I think I just passed three hours by playing it." She pouted. Acting like an edgy teenager wasn't something she would have done before, but times like this called for action.

"No need to be a smartass. And look there's more than just trees, this is a small town. Why not mention the tiny cute stores or houses?" he scoffed. "I know you're upset we're moving, but I think this will do you some good- well a lot of good." He turned on the windshield wipers. "Come on, you grew up here- I know it's the country, but-"

"It's not the country! It's just farmland! Do you even know we're going the right way? Everything looks the same!" she exclaimed. "Please tell me you at least know where we are- and you didn't take a wrong turn three hours ago." He shrugged, causing immediate panic to enter her body. "PLEASE TELL ME YOU'RE JOKING." She clung onto his arm. "Please- I'm already sick of this place- I don't want to drive anymore."

Without a word, her father gradually pulled the car to a stop. "Yamuraiha I-"

"I knew it! We are lost! I can't believe it! And almost no gas in this rust bucket! I'm going to die surrounded by hay." she whined.

"Yamuraiha, we are here." He pushed his grey hairs out of his face. "Now before you fill my ears with even more complaints I want to tell you something, so please listen to me carefully." He turned off the engine and took off his seatbelt. "We lived here for seven years until you were eight and then we moved. And before we moved do you remember how much you begged me not to?" She nodded reluctantly. "If you loved this place once don't you think you will feel the same again?"

"Maybe..." she agreed."But what if I don't like it? What if everyone here will think I'm weird- what if I think they're weird?" she questioned. She chewed her badly painted dark blue nails. "I mean look at me- I didn't exactly win the 'most popular kid' in school."

"So much uncertainty isn't good for a young person." He patted her shoulder. "You will be okay. Just give me five months to convince you. "

"Oh alright." She took off her seatbelt. "But I don't think it'll help. I don't think anything will at this stage." She turned away from him.

"Hey now, they say fresh air can cure anything. I came here heartbroken and found you- my miracle. If that can happen, I think anything is possible. This place is magical." His small grey eyes twinkled.

When she heard that a smile emerged on her face. "Well- I guess I could give it a try- I mean I am a miracle." she joked. Magic was the last thing she believed in. Ghosts and demons maybe had a chance to be real, but miracles and magical occurrences? That was just something people made up to get through their hard times. Still, she annoyed her father enough already, and keeping up her negative attitude would be overkill.

"Let's unpack then." he suggested.

"There is nothing to unpack. We only took the essentials remember? You put everything else in storage."

"Then perhaps we are getting new furniture. It's not like I threw away your clothes. Most of your things are there."

"If we are here for a fresh new start then shouldn't we just have thrown my things away too?" she asked.

"You can if you want to. I just didn't want to through the trouble of hearing more of your complaints."

She smirked. "Well, _that_ is kind. Thank you for thinking of me."

"Okay, enough talking let's get to our new place shall we?" He took the keys out of the car and stuffed them into his worn jeans. "It's rainy, but if you run to the porch I don't think you'll get soaked."

She shook her head. "No, I want to help too. After all, I was acting so bratty on the way here. I owe it to you." She buttoned her thick flannel and opened the door.

Quarter past four and it was already dark. That's winter for you, she thought. Time seemed to pass much faster here than it did in her old house.

Well, she was only here for a few hours. The half of the first one she spent running back and forth lugging the boxes of clothing and other items. The second half of it she was taking a long, well deserved hot bath. After that she had to unpack and explore the house. Which, surprisingly, took longer than she had expected. The house was big. Bigger than their old house. It was fairly new, but creaked as if it had been around for centuries.

She liked the library best out of all the rooms. It was a musty smelling place; full of cobwebs and books the previous owners had left behind. But that's why it was so charming. The best part of this room was the small nook right in between the dark wooden shelves that gave her a perfect view out the window into the world. Perfect place to go to on a rainy day such as this one, she thought.

Her room was nothing special. Just an empty room with a bed frame in the middle of it surrounded by boxes. She would get her mattresses delivered to her later. Somehow it was a good thing that the room was empty because she'd get a chance to decorate. It would give her a reason to look through those YouTube tutorials on DIY decorations.

She didn't really want to admit it, but she was already liking the place. It was a small town that was going to be a little hard to get used to, maybe if she tried hard enough she could like it even more than her old home.

"I'm going to buy us some food from the market and bakery- you want anything?" Her father was putting on his coat and already halfway out the door.

"It's fine," she waved her hand. "Surprise me. In the meanwhile, I'll make myself some tea- the stove works doesn't it?" she asked.

"For the last time Yamuraiha, everything in this house works except for the heating- but I'll have that fixed by next week."

"Don't worry, I won't get hypothermia. I'm wearing three sweaters and the warmest sweats known to man, I'm sure I will win this battle with the cold." she said proudly as she closed the door.

The kitchen was the typical "country" kitchen- the one you would see in commercials and television shows. Stone flooring and ceilings which had pots and pans hanging from them. The cabinets were birch wood with pretty brass handles as were the counters, except they had a stone top.

She placed the steel kettle onto the black stove. She was proud that she packed extra packets of her favourite teas- it was as if she knew such an occasion would happen. The moment was kind of the epitome of comfort in a way: her in her softest fleece sweaters and pants- not to mention her fuzzy socks with the little puppy dogs on them.

"Finally," she sat herself down onto a stool and breathed in her herbal tea. "Now for me to find out if you taste as good as you smell-"

There was a large thud at the door followed by a short and strained laugh.

An intruder?! Yamuraiha dropped her cup down onto the counter and reached for the largest pot she could find. "No way am I going to let somebody get me before I drink this tea." she whispered to herself. She tiptoed into the hallway as quietly as possible. Nothing. Was it someone playing a prank? She decided it would be okay to get farther down the hall and closer to the front door. "Hello?" she said softly. "If you're here to rob us then don't even bother because I don't even have a mattress- and if you're here to eat me or something- then big surprise buddy, my sodium intake is super high so it'll be like eating that old licorice that is too salty." Yeah, great argument, she thought.

"Really? You think a cannibal cares about how much salt they eat?" a sarcastic voice said. It was coming from the coat closet.

"Why you!" She ripped the door open and prepared to bash her pot into the intruder's head. "Get out!"

"W-wait stop!"

She put her arms down and took a closer look at the person who was in front of her. A boy, probably not much older than she, with sea green eyes, bronze colored skin, and silvery white hair. She dropped the pot. "UHM."

"What were you going to do with that pot anyways?!" he yelled. "Make soup out of my brain?!"

"No I was going to hit you so you wouldn't attack me!" she yelled back at him. "What are you doing in my house anyways?!"

"Well," he began.

 **Okay, well that is the end of chapter one! I started writing again, sorry if you read my previous story "Lonely Secrets" and wanted to finish it. I won't be continuing that, but if you really want to know the end of that story you can message me and I will tell you! I hope you like this story though and support it through reviews! Please tell me if anything seems odd or text seems missing, Fanfiction tends to delete some parts of my work.**


	2. Memory

"I pranked someone I shouldn't have. Jafar- we both work for the same guy. I don't usually get scared and hide, but this time I know I'll get it if he finds me." The boy forcefully reached for the closet door handle. "So if you would just let me hide in this house until I am convinced that he left then I will definitely repay you someday."

Yamuraiha grasped the handle before he could. "No. I won't let a stranger stay in my new house. So if you want you can escape through the backyard. You know it's really rude to-" she stopped talking once she realized that he was looking at her while extremely focused. "Why are you staring me?"

"Sorry-" he shook his head. "You look just like someone I used to know." He held out his hand for her to pull him up. A sly smile appeared on his face. This guy was nothing but trouble. She could tell by the way he moved- just like a snake or some other sneaky reptile. "Come on, help me up you huge marshmallow puff."

Marshmallow puff? She looked down at herself. Oh, well three thick layers of pastel red, blue, and green sweaters would do that to a person. His attitude was something else. She couldn't even begin to fathom the thought that someone as bold as him existed. Who barges into a stranger's home and insults their clothing? "It's cold in here." she said trying to hide her embarrassment while pulling him up.

"I can tell, even the little dogs on your socks are shaking."

"Shut it- you."

"The names Sharrkan." he said while dusting off his grey sweatpants.

Sharrkan. She heard that name before. "How long have you lived here?" she questioned him.

"Most of my life." he answered. "Why?" He raised an eyebrow.

Suddenly she began to think about the past. About her childhood and the people she used to chase the groundhogs with and ride horses with. "I think we _have_ met before." She pushed her hair behind her ears. "I think we used to be friends- or something when we were kids." They shared a moment of awkward silence. Yamuraiha felt foolish for saying that. How was that even something worth mentioning, and even if it was, how would he remember if she herself hardly had any idea on the topic. "Sorry- I'm probably wrong." she added.

He inspected her once more. "Hmm. Is your name Yamurai? Or something like- Laika? You look just like her- at least what I can remember what she looked like-" He placed his forefinger on his chin. "Am I right or am I right?"

"My name is Yamuraiha." she said.

His face lit up. "That's right!" He put his hands on her shoulders. "I think we were either best friends- or maybe we hated each other- or maybe something in between."

She brushed his hands off her shoulders. "UHM personal space," she said. "Anyways, I think we used to run after the owners of the Kou farm's dog all the time. That was with you right?"

He smiled and nodded. "Yes! I remember that! I remember that mean kid Kouen threatening to tell our parents when he finally caught us hiding behind the old barn close to Sinbad's property."

"You remember so much more than I do." she said enviously. She couldn't recall much from her childhood, but she knew it was one of the best parts of her life- and for whatever twisted reason she forgot most of it.

"Of course, not much happens here. It's been pretty quiet lately." He put his hands in his pockets.

"Is that why you pissed off some scary man? What did you do? Break bottles on his house?"

"No I just rearranged the files in his office." He shrugged. "I mean I thought it would be funny for him too, but I guess he doesn't like new ways to improve his workspace."

Yamuraiha rolled her eyes. "Wow and here I was thinking you did something really childish." she said sarcastically. Seriously? Was he a twelve year old in a teenager's body? She would have thought he would have at least made an effort to do something bad. "Is rearranging files even worth it? I don't think anyone would think anything of it."

"Oh trust me, Jafar loves his files arranged just the way he likes them. He even yells at his boss if he touches them."

"Sounds like a force to be reckoned with." she scoffed.

"Well you used to be afraid of him too." he said. "Of course that was when we were Sinbad's 'eight generals'." He studied the blank look on her face. "Come on, you have to at least remember that. You were the magician and I was the swordsman." He used one hand to pretend to wave a wand and slash a sword in the other. "We slayed the sea creature and defended our land from pirates."

Yamuraiha shook her head. "Sorry I can't- I can't remember any of that." she admitted. It was really awful that she couldn't share his excitement. "Anyways, let's get you out of here." It would be good to know more about her past, yet she wasn't up for hearing incredible one sided adventures she may have had.

"Wait," he stopped her. "How don't you remember?" His posture drooped. "Masrur? You have to remember Masrur!" She shook her head. "What about Pisti? She was my best friend, but I guess she was yours also. And Drakon! He used to pretend to be a dragon- and Hinahoho would be some type of giant man."

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I remember any of those people." She sighed. Really, she wanted him to shut up already. It was annoying that she didn't understand a word he was saying.

"Sinbad. You have to know Sinbad. He was our leader- our king!"

"I told you already, I don't know any of these people!" she snapped. "I think the only reason I remember you is because-"

"Because we used to fight more than anyone." he finished her sentence. "Yeah, well you haven't changed one bit. Still just as bossy and just as closed minded as before."

Her face turned red. "Well excuse me if I don't want to listen to some idiot talk nonsense after he broke into _my_ home!" She picked up the stainless steel pot off the floor. "Go!"

"Are you threatening me with food storage that's meant to be in the kitchen?"

"Yes." She tapped on the pot with her knuckles. "This noise scares the squirrels maybe it'll work on you too."

"Fine I'll go. So calm down marshmallow puff." he jeered.

"So Yamuraiha is seriously back here?" Pisti exclaimed. Her short blonde hair was in a ponytail and seemed to bounce up and down with excitement along with her. "I should totally say hello!" She rushed over to her dresser to gather her makeup and bag. "Should I greet her with a smokey eye? Or maybe some professionally contoured cheeks? I want her to think I got seriously hot over 9 years."

"I wouldn't bother." Sharrkan laid in her bed reading a magazine. His eyes ran through studying her bedroom. High ceiling. Horse racing trophies everywhere. Pink. "She's suuuuuuuuper pissy." he said in flat voice.

"Did you do anything to make her mad?" Pisti asked.

"No, seriously nothing at all! I just asked her if she remembered you guys or when we used to play 'eight generals'. She got mad and said she forgot everything. And when I nicely tried to refresh her memory she just blew up."

Pisti sighed. "Do you even know why she moved away before?"

"No, I was staying with my mom that week. I never got to say goodbye." He tossed the magazine aside and walked over to her window sill. "You know," he said picking up a golden trophy of a horse jumping. "You have a lot of these."

"Stop trying to change the subject l." Pisti warned. "The rope swing we made- the one that we used to swing across the river- remember that?"

"Yeah, she was always scared of it so she had to hold on to Masrur or Jafar- she never used it herself, why?"

"Because when you were away she wanted to use it herself and she hit her head. Matal said she needed serious medical attention because she had a bad concussion."

"Oh that's why she can hardly remember anything."

"I'm pretty sure she doesn't even remember why she doesn't remember."

"Well why didn't anyone tell me?!" Sharrkan demanded. "That would have saved me the uncomfortable conversation I had with her today."

"Well, you were already sad because of the stuff with your family and we thought it was best that we just said nothing. It was so obvious you liked her before." she teased.

He turned away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh come on, your sour face whenever she turned down your offer to use the rope swing together was priceless. I'm sure Jafar has a Polaroid picture of you pouting while Drakon or someone else helped her across."

"She never agreed to it because she thought I would drop her on purpose." he said acidly.

"That's because you were really mean to her." Pisti laughed. "It's not her fault for not trusting you."

"I was seven! And okay- maybe, just maybe I had a small crush, but nine years isn't a long time. It doesn't mean that she has the right to act like she's some queen."

"Nine years _is_ a long time, bud. I'm sure she's changed. We all have." Pisti walked over to him and looked out the window. "But, I also am kind of hurt that she doesn't remember. It's not her fault- it just sucks." She held Sharrkan's hand. "Hey, I'm always here for you." she reassured him.

He turned to her and smiled. "Thanks Pisti." He took a deep breath. "Maybe we should try to refresh her memory."

"What do you mean?"

"Like we should try doing a lot of the stuff we did before. I think if we did that it might help. I'm sure she's just as frustrated as we are with her not remembering." He laughed to himself. "The funny thing is that she knew who I was- well, more or less. And I think that seeing everyone again will help."

"So we should try to get her to sneak out from her room at night like we did before?" Pisti questioned.

"Exactly. Round up the whole team." He rubbed his hands together. "I have a plan for tonight."

 **Chapter 2 is done. Good. Review please because they always help!**


	3. Diner Dash

"Does everybody understand the plan?" Sharrkan asked the group before him.

"Yes, for the hundredth time." Jafar said, unamused. "What I don't understand is why you rearranged the papers in my office." He wore a white and green tracksuit that looked just as distressed as he was.

"As much as I would like to make this about me, we are here for our friend Yamuraiha." Sharrkan poked Jafar in the nose. Masrur put his hand up. "Yes?" He pointed to his bulky, tall friend.

"I don't understand why we're doing this." he said.

"Because you idiot, we need to make her remember!" Pisti elbowed him. "It was partially our fault she lost her memory before."

"I also don't understand why _you're_ wearing a ski mask." Masrur said flatly.

"I'm going to be wearing one too!" Sharrkan pulled a black ski mask out of his jacket and stretched it onto his face. "Makes the mission more real."

"Great, now you can both scare her to death." Jafar rolled his eyes.

"I don't know, I think they look cool." Sinbad added and swung his arm around Jafar's neck. "I want one too!" He wasn't very happy that he arrived in bulky coat and jeans. He needed style.

"You don't get a say in this." Jafar snapped. "The fact that you convinced me to come to this soon to be midnight kidnapping attempt is a miracle. So please try to seem like a normal adult."

Sinbad crossed his arms. "We never do anything fun. You never take me places." he complained.

"You want to do this right now?! In front of everybody?!" Jafar yelled.

"If you're going to be complaining can you do it at home?" Sharrkan said. "You didn't _have_ to come. Hinahoho, Drakon, and Spartos didn't agree." He slung his backpack onto the decorative rock outside Yamuraiha's house.

Jafar stomped. "I'm already here aren't I? My feet are soaked. I just know one of you will do something stupid and I will probably have to clean it up."

"You know it mom." Pisti winked at him.

"Pisti you're like 12 I don't even know how you're allowed to be out this late."

"I'm 16!" Pisti yelled.

"Uh guys-" Sharrkan interrupted them. "I mean I know you want to brawl- or something, but I would really appreciate it if you didn't scream so Matal would hear us."

"Oh right, her dad hates you." Masrur said, almost smiling.

"Most dads hate him." Pisti added. "He's like almost every dad's worst fear."

"Thank you Pisti. That's really great of you to say." Sharrkan said sarcastically. "Now if someone could please take a small rubber duck from my backpack so we could throw it at her window and get her attention- that would be great."

"Why ducks?" Jafar asked when he picked one up.

"I thought of throwing rocks, but that would probably break her window."

"Wow Sharrkan, that's actually responsible of you. " Jafar beamed.

"I guess you rubbed off on me." he smirked.

They all pitched a throw at her window. All of them hit. The good thing about using the ducks was that they would bounce off and they could use them again if she didn't see it on the first try. Luckily, they didn't need to.

Surprised, and a little bit scared, Yamuraiha cautiously approached the window and looked out. A group of people she didn't know stood below, all smiling at her. Two were in ski masks. She tugged at her baby blue robe to cover up her low cut nightgown. "Are you trying to break in?" she asked. "If you don't leave right now I'm calling my dad!" she yelled.

"Sharrkan you didn't tell me she got hot and had a huge rack!" Pisti nudged him. "She still has nothing on my contour though."

Sharrkan rolled his eyes."You're ridiculous, but this is why I love you." he whispered to Pisti. He took off his ski mask. "Hey! It's me!" He called out to Yamuraiha. "Can you please just come down?"

"I should've known it was you!" Yamuraiha crossed her arms. "Why are you even here?"

"Yamuraiha, it's me Jafar!" Jafar cupped his hands so his voice would project better. "Do you remember me? Sorry we're bothering you, aren't we? This was Sharrkan's idea."

"Sorry I don't remember you- I feel a little sad I don't you seem like a nice guy!"

"Hey Yamu! Yamu! Do you remember me?!" Pisti waved her arms frantically. "I'm your best friend!"

"Sorry person in the ski mask, I don't know who you are either."

"What about me?" Sinbad wiggled his eyebrows. "I'm sure I haven't left your thoughts." He winked at her.

"You're creeping me out." Yamuraiha said.

Sinbad slumped down. "Jafar you don't think I'm creepy do you?" He held the strings on his tracksuit. "You still think I'm handsome, don't you?"

"I'm sure she didn't mean it you old man."

"I'm not old!"

"Well, if you'll excuse me-" Yamuraiha pushed down on the window to close it.

"Wait!" Sharrkan stopped her. "Come with us! I know that you're frustrated because you don't remember any of us- and truthfully speaking some of us are a little creepy," he side eyed Sinbad. "But you have to go with us, we're your friends we want you to remember!"

"Sorry. I don't want to." she said frankly.

"See I told you guys she wouldn't be up for it." Sharrkan began.

"What are you talking about this was your idea-" Sharrkan covered Jafar's mouth before he could finish his sentence.

"Use reverse psychology it always worked on her before." he whispered to them, to which they all silently agreed to. "She's too uptight and boring to go on a night adventure. But it's okay because she would have ruined things anyways." He loudly said.

"Is that even what reverse psychology means?"

"Huh?" Yamuraiha opened up her window more. "What was that?!" she asked.

"We're just talking about how bland and boring you are!" Pisti yelled.

"Yeah, this is not the Yamuraiha I knew." Sinbad pretended to be disappointed.

"Come on Masrur, Jafar, you also have to say something." Sharrkan whispered to them.

"Yamuraiha don't come down here." Masrur said. It wasn't as convincing as Sinbad or Pisti- well, it wasn't convincing at all, but he did his best and that was all that mattered.

"Yeah it's okay if you don't go." Jafar said. "Because we are going to have soooo much fun." His sarcasm seeped through his performance.

"I'm not boring!" she defended herself. "I'm one of the most fun people I know!"

"Well, why don't you prove it?" Sharrkan taunted. "You definitely can tell me all about how fun you are, but I don't believe it unless you show me."

"I will!" she exclaimed. "Give me five minutes to get ready!" She closed her window and turned the light on in her room.

"And that's how to catch an uptight hothead." Sharrkan said proudly.

Jafar rolled his eyes. "You seriously should become some kind of manipulative mastermind when you're older."

"That's the plan."

Yamuraiha went down the hallway and passed her dad's room where he softly snored as quietly as she possibly could have. She tiptoed down the stairs only creaking a few of the floorboards and then ran out the door hoping it was all done well.

"Hey so she made it!" Pisti gleamed. "Isn't it much nicer out than in at this time?"

"More like cold." Yamuraiha said. She could see her breath before her and it was quite troubling as she dressed lightly in an old gray crew neck and matching sweatpants. "So what adventure are you taking me on?"

"We're going to get burgers and fries." Sharrkan revealed.

Yamuraiha blinked. "I'm sorry what?" She scratched her head. "You're telling me that I almost risked getting in HUGE trouble to go on a late night snack hunt?! No. No. I'm done."

"Come on Yamu! You gotta stay!" Pisti stopped her from walking away. "If you don't I'll be heartbroken."

"Fine." she reluctantly agreed. "The food better be good."

"It's mediocre at best." Sharrkan admitted.

"So I got dressed for mediocre food. Great. Just what I needed."

"But it's bonding time with us!" Sinbad approached Yamuraiha to give her a hug, which she dodged.

"Ah, forgive him please Yamuraiha he's had a few drinks." Jafar pulled him back by his ear. "You're embarrassing us." he said in a strict tone.

"Yeah- I kind of figured that out. Anyways, are we walking to the place or-?"

"No we're taking Sinbad's SUV. Seven seats. Great for large groups." Sharrkan answered.

"So the drunk guy is driving?" She raised an eyebrow. "Well my childhood friends seem to have made good choices."

"I'm driving." Jafar said. "I always drive." He glared at Sinbad while saying so.

The car was parked just on the road a few meters away from Yamuraiha's house. Wind blew in their face and it had begun to snow. Walking through the tall grass didn't help much either.

"It's just a twenty minute drive from here." Jafar reassured Yamuraiha. He started up the engine and they began to move.

She was sitting in between Pisti and Sharrkan. The ride was going to feel longer than a twenty minute one, she already knew that. Sharrkan kept moving around and Pisti chirped in her ear all about how much fun she was going to have.

"Could you please stop moving around so much?" she asked him nicely.

"No." He stuck out his tongue. "Get used to it."

"Stop wiggling or else I'm going to take of Pisti's high heel boot and lodge it in your eye." she threatened.

"At least do me the favour of taking both of my eyes out so I don't have to look at your face." he shot back.

"Woo!" Pisti clapped. "This is just like when we were kids."

"No it's not!" Sharrkan and Yamuraiha said in unison. They turned away from one another.

"It's snowing a lot isn't it?" Pisti tried to lighten the mood. "Look at how much there is outside."

"Yeah lots." Sharrkan said.

"I really don't want snow." Yamuraiha added.

"Is there anything you do want?" he asked her.

"For you to be quiet."

"You know what?"

"Guys don't fight back there." Jafar turned his head quickly. "Do you have a phone or something to entertain you?"

Yamuraiha's heart skipped a beat. "My phone! What if something happens?! I don't have it! Jafar turn back now!" She sunk her fingers into Jafar's seat.

"Yamuraiha we're almost there, can't you tough it out?"

"No no no!" she exclaimed. "I really don't feel comfortable without it!"

"Here." Sharrkan passed her a cellphone. "You can have mine if that makes you feel any better. Feel free to unlock it and add in your emergency contacts." He didn't look at her once while he said that.

She calmed down. "Wh- what's the password?"

"4,2,0,6,9." he answered her, silently laughing to himself.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course," she punched in the numbers. She clicked on the contacts icon. "I'm just adding my dad's number- you can delete it later, but he's a good guy and will help if you need anything." Message notifications showed up on the top of the screen. The name Priscilla with a 'hey'. "Oh your friend is texting you."

Pisti grabbed Yamuraiha's hand which held the phone to read the screen. "Oh Priscilla still talks to you huh?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

"Give me that!"

Another message notification, except this time it was from Georgi. 'I wish u were here' it read. And another one from Jei, 'what are u doing?'

"Why are so many girls texting you?" Yamuraiha asked.

"Because he's texting all of them." Pisti exclaimed. "He's very popular!"

"Ah," Yamuraiha raised an eyebrow and smirked. "So you're one of those eh?"

"Whatever- I change my mind, give me back my phone!" He reached to get it, but Yamuraiha put her palm on his face.

"Let's see what you have in your photos." she teased.

"No don't!"

"Yeah! I want to see too!" Pisti encouraged Yamuraiha.

"There pictures on there that um…" he began.

"Oh." Yamuraiha locked the phone. "NEVERMIND." She dropped it in her lap.

"I don't care I still want to see!" Pisti said. "Nothing I haven't seen last ski trip," she giggled.

"Pisti! I thought we promised not to talk about the ski trip incident!"

"Why what happened on ski trip?" Yamuraiha asked.

The car fell silent. Jafar coughed and side eyed Sinbad who was just as confused on the whole matter as he, Masrur continued to stare out the window, and Sharrkan furiously shook his head for Pisti to keep quiet and her smile just got wider and wider as he looked more and more nervous.

"Bow-"

"Pisti don't you dare!" Sharrkan was practically yelling.

"Bow chika-"

"Pisti if you say anymore I swear I will come into your house at night and break all of your stupid horse trophies."

"Bow chika wow wow." she blurted out.

"Gross." Yamuraiha said.

A vein popped on Sharrkan's neck. "Bringing you was a mistake." He pointed to Pisti who seemed to be pleased with herself.

"I didn't say anything I just made a sound!" she played it off innocently, a talent she was the master at.

"Really? Cause what else could that sound have meant?!"

"Use your imagination, it could have been anything."

"What a plot twist." Jafar rolled his eyes. "Really I didn't expect that from either of you." he said sarcastically. "Well this ride just got more awkward than it needed to be- and I'm sure that Sinbad is falling asleep as we speak, but we're here, so if anyone wants some food?"

"Food sounds good." Yamuraiha nodded. Anything to be out of that packed car. It was difficult for her to believe that these were actually her friends. Each of them seemed so out of place. Their group was a rag doll composed of the most colourful and eccentric people she had ever seen- and she'd only known them for twenty minutes.

Outside was still cold. But it was a different cold. The type of cold you feel just before you step into a new and exciting warm place. That place was the charming diner with a neon pink sign that read 'Cashmere Burgers'. The r in 'Cashmere' was burnt out and so was the e in 'Burgers'. Even so, the place seemed to be well kept and clean and there wasn't much people around.

The inside felt like an artsy cafe. Dark wooden floorboards, hanging lights, and modern paintings. Not what Yamuraiha was expecting from a place in a rural area.

"This place is actually pretty." she admitted.

"I knew you would love it." Pisti said.

"Oh and here-" Yamuraiha handed Sharrkan his phone back. "I don't think I need it really- I was just panicking in the car, cause a new place and a car full of strangers. I needed something that made me feel safe."

"A thank you would be good."

"Thank you." she said.

"Anyways should we get a table or are we all going to stand around here?" Pisti exclaimed.

The colored glass tables fit in with the rustic modern vibe. The frame of the table was metallic and seemed a bit worn, but in good shape nonetheless. It felt just like the city, but at the same time it didn't. It held a charm which was hard to come by in the city, but had similar designs to popular cafes.

"Can we get a table please?" Jafar asked the waiter walking towards them.

"Take any that you want there's no one here," they chuckled. "I'll get you all some water in the meanwhile." They ran into the back and opened a sturdy door which had the sign 'employees only' on top of it.

They took the table in the middle of the room.

Yamuraiha sighed. "So... What's good here?"

"Menu is right in front of you." Sharrkan said. "Why don't you read it?"

"Because I would loooove to hear your opinion." She put her hands on her cheeks and moved in closer to him. "So I'm listening." She blinked and her bright blue eyes twinkled.

He pushed her face back. "Please don't get so close to me." he huffed.

She laughed. "You're shy after all." She poked him in the shoulder. "I didn't expect someone who broke into my house to react like that."

"More like I like my personal space." He crossed his arms. "Just order." He pushed the menu closer to her.

Pisti snickered. "You're right _you_ haven't changed at all." she teased Sharrkan. "Still can't say anything after all this time. Fumbling in front the people you actually have feelings for."

"Would you like to me to mention ski trip to Spartos?" Sharrkan said, a sort of confidence appeared on his face- and terror on Pisti's. "I can just message him all about that. Because you seem to like bringing up the past."

She waved her hands frantically."I'll stop- I promise never to speak of it again for as long as I live and to never ever tease you again!"

"Oh right- speaking of the past, that reminds me. Yamuraiha, I have some photos I have saved that I wanted to show you." Jafar took out a few Polaroids from his wallet. "I have pictures of us as kids if you want to see." He slid them across the table to her.

"Oh." She took a look at one with all of them posing with their hands folded. "Aw! Is that me in that big witch hat?" Her younger self had missing teeth and an eye infection. "Why do I look so busted up?"

"Maybe because you actually used to have fun." Sharrkan said.

"Well at least I didn't wear a dinosaur costume." Yamuraiha shot back. "Who is that?"

"Drakon." Sinbad answered. "And he was a dragon. Not a dinosaur."

"I'm pretty sure that's a dinosaur costume, Sin." Jafar corrected him.

"You're always against me." Sinbad huffed as he turned away from Jafar.

"You're always so emotional when you're drunk." Jafar scolded him. "You'll forget about all of this next morning."

Yamuraiha moved onto the next photo: a six year old Sharrkan holding a few flowers and crying. "Why is he crying?"

"A girl indirectly broke his heart." Masrur spoke up.

"Who was it?"

"I was six it doesn't matter." Sharrkan swiped the photo from her hand. "Maybe you should just finish going through the rest and not ask something every few seconds."

"Well maybe I just want to know about my past." She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I won't ask anything about you." She looked through the other photos. Most of them was just them playing in the forest, but there was one that caught her attention. "What is this?" She pointed to a rope attached to a tree branch overlooking a river.

"Uh-" Jafar scratched the back of his neck. "A rope swing?" he said.

"Yeah, I know that, but I don't know- I feel like there was something else about it."

"Some people used to smoke there. That's what you're pondering about." Sharrkan took the photo from her hands.

"Pondering? Really? Did you just pull a thesaurus from somewhere?"

"My word bank is quite extensive, jay." He pinched her nose.

"Jay?"

"Your hair is blue like a blue jay, and you yell a lot and chase off anything in your territory."

"A, that is the lamest nickname ever- not only because it just doesn't have any special ring to it, but it's also a normal person's name- so it can't really be a nickname and a name all at once. And b, I am not territorial. I don't want an intruder to make me into a human jacket."

"UHM," he coughed loudly. "Wow, are you the new chairman of creating what is and isn't a nickname? Because I'm pretty sure anything can be a nickname."

"Nicknames are almost always based off of food and are usually cute or mean, jay is neither of those."

"Okay, I guess I should call you salty- or maybe toothpaste and organ juice since you're so set on having a nickname based on a gross food item."

"Uh Sharrkan-" Jafar said. "Last time I checked it was toothpaste and orange juice, not toothpaste and _organ_ juice."

"I know what I said. Salty organ juice just has to get used to her creative new nickname."

"I think I like jay more."

"I don't know, salty organ juice has a special ring to it." Pisti added. "It's very unique."

"Thank you P," Sharrkan smirked. "See, at least someone appreciates my artistic endeavours."

"Fine call me whatever you want." Yamuraiha gave up. "The waitress is coming over here, so let's just order and go already." She propped up the menu in front of her face again and read over everything.

"Hey, guys." A pretty young girl with a slight tan walked up to them. She tucked her jet black hair behind her left ear and looked at them with her steel grey eyes from under her long eyelashes. "Is it the usual for all of you?" She clicked her pen and began to press down on the notepad.

"Hey Priscilla," Sharrkan said. "Sorry I didn't answer your texts."

She smiled in such a way that made it hard for someone to look away. "Well, I'm not used to being ignored, but I guess I can make an exception for you." She winked at him. "Is that all?"

"I didn't get to order." Yamuraiha spoke up.

"Oh," she brought her attention over to her. "Ah, sorry I didn't notice you there. What'll you like?"

"Pancakes?"

"Pancakes at night, I like this girl." She scribbled the order down onto the notepad. "You're really cute what's your name?"

Yamuraiha blushed. "Yamuraiha." she said.

"Oh I've heard of you before!" Priscilla lit up. "Yeah these guys have told me about you. Anyways, I better get this order back to the cook- if anyone needs anything else before I go?"

"Pris, I would love it if you could get an ice pack from the freezer along with my order- I'm pretty sure Sinbad will need it for the headache he's going to have while we're driving back." Jafar said.

"Sure thing." she called out as she walked back into the 'employee's only' room.

Yamuraiha continued to look through the photos. The rest were all pretty similar. Just all of them as children playing in different parts of town. She then handed back the photos to Jafar. "Thanks. Those were nice to look through."

"Anytime,"

"Hey who is Priscilla?" she asked.

"Just a girl." Sharrkan quickly answered.

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"Who mine?" Sharrkan pointed to himself. "Nope."

"Then how do you know each other so well?"

"What makes you think I know her well?" He raised an eyebrow. "She was over here for less than a minute."

Yamuraiha shrugged. "I know chemistry when I see it." She folded her hands. "I don't mean to pry, I guess I'm also curious about what you guys are up to."

"Just someone I hang out with." he said frankly. "Not that special. Also a town this small, everyone knows each other."

"Yeah, but you know some better than others." Pisti giggled.

"What does that mean?" Yamuraiha asked.

"Oh look, Priscilla is here with our food!" Sharrkan declared. "How great, let's eat."

Priscilla held two trays in each of her hands and made it look easy. "Veggie burger and cream soda for the gorgeous Pisti, just a coffee for Jafar, and cheeseburger with cola for Masrur." She set the trays down carefully. "I'll get the other orders too."

"She seriously doesn't even look human." Yamuraiha said, wide eyed. "I think that I would've fallen over if I had to carry around trays like that."

"Looks like someone has a crush." Pisti nudged her.

Yamuraiha blushed and shook her head. "W-what! No I don't really- I mean I'm not into girls like that. She just seems like someone out of a movie."

"What about me Yamuraiha?!" Sinbad looked over his shoulder and pouted. "I also have award winning looks don't I?" He was slurring his words.

"Uh- sure, you're not bad looking." She smiled uncomfortably.

The 'employees only' door swung open again and Priscilla walked out. "Okay so just another coffee for Sinbad and little bag of ice, a stack of sugary pancakes for the sweet looking Yamuraiha, and a chicken sandwich I may or may not have spit on for the big loser who can't even bother to message me back." She put the trays down.

"Why thank you," Yamuraiha chimed, reaching for her meal.

"Thanks Priscilla." Sharrkan sighed. "And I already apologized."

She pat him on the back. "It's fine, I know." She winked at him. "You know how to pick them. I approve." she whispered into his ear.

Sharrkan smiled. "Thanks." he said again.

 **What does that bow chika wow wow even mean? Honesty could mean anything. But look it up lol. Anyways if anything seems off or missing I apologize because I type on my phone instead of a computer and sometimes fanfiction deletes periods, commas, etc. So if anything seems off please tell me. Also review if you liked it or if you didn't- I don't mind criticism as long as it's helpful.**


	4. Bad Dancing

It was around 11:30 when they had all started to pack up. Yamuraiha was convinced that the reason for their holdup was partially Sinbad's fault for getting over emotional and going on about 'the good old days'. He would start blathering about how much she had grown and how he had been feeling old. Jafar rolled his eyes and sympathetically patted his back whenever he would begin to whine.

Just before they left Priscilla came around smiling again with her perfect row of pearly white teeth. She handed each of them a fortune cookie.

"A fortune cookie in an artsy restaurant in the country?" Yamuraiha questioned. The small cookie certainly wasn't made anywhere nearby as the letters on the packaging were in Mandarin.

"It's a tradition my dad made up. The cookies always come true somehow." Priscilla explained. She wiped off lint off her black apron. "Read yours, maybe it'll be something good." she encouraged her.

Yamuraiha rustled the plastic open and cracked the cookie. "Stay away from water." she read. It was unique if nothing else. Usually fortunes had something along the lines of 'new people are going to come into your life' and have the lucky numbers at the bottom. This cookie had neither.

"Mine says be careful around vehicles." Sharrkan said. "Well that'll be easy enough since the roads here are usually empty."

"Mine says that love will come into my life in the form of red. These fortunes are always so weird. What did yours say Jafar?" Pisti asked. She crumpled up the paper and stuffed it in her pocket.

"I'll open mine at home, right now my main priority is getting this big lug home." Jafar was referring to the drunk mess which was Sinbad who had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

"Thank you for the food." Yamuraiha said.

"Come back sometimes, I always work late here since I'm homeschooled and my dad owns the place. We're actually open until 11:00, but I'll always make an exception for you guys." Priscilla squeezed Yamuraiha's hand. "It gets lonely sometimes so you can come anytime."

Yamuraiha reflected her smile. "I'll be sure to."

The ride back was much calmer than the ride there. Sharrkan didn't fidget much, if at all and Pisti didn't cause noise. Jafar gently hummed to the low volume of the radio and Sinbad snored quietly. And Masrur- well, he didn't say much in the first place.

Yamuraiha folded her hands in her lap and enjoyed the drive back. It wouldn't be long before they would reach her house.

"So," Sharrkan nudged her, breaking into her thoughts.

"So what?" she was almost whispering.

"Wasn't I right? Wasn't that place incredible?" he seemed to be gloating.

"I liked it. It was actually really fun. Priscilla is also really nice." Those words were easier to admit than she thought.

"I knew you'd like it." He looked like he was gleaming. "See what did I tell you salty, stick with us and you'll be going on more fun adventures."

She rolled her eyes at his forced attempt to get the lame nickname to stick. "Maybe I'll hang out with you a bit more, but only if you promise to stop with the nicknames, they make me feel like I'm in a badly written comedy."

"I will make no such promises."

"Then I take back what I said about the cafe."

"No take backs! That's a rule we established years ago, but it is still relevant." Just before she could get a word out he stuck out his tongue in a childish manner.

She was seriously conflicted in how she felt about him. He seemed kind enough sometimes, but at the same time a huge pile of arrogance. There was also the fact that he was probably just like a lot of the gross boys at her old school, with their bad habits of getting a new girlfriend every week or just someone they wanted to 'have fun' with. Then again, he seemed to want to hide the fact instead of boasting about it when Pisti mentioned it.

"Okay,"

"Okay?"

"Yeah, I am too tired to argue with you right now. So let's say that you won this round." She rested her head back. "How long until we reach my house Jafar?"

"Give it another three minutes." He made a turn. "The snow is really coming down."

"I don't know if I'll manage going to school tomorrow." Yamuraiha stretched out her arms.

"You're not going to go." Pisti said nonchalantly.

"What do you mean? I have to go at least to introduce myself, my dad already did my transfer papers a week back."

"School is still out for another week. There was a gas leakage. It wasn't a big deal or anything, they're just taking precautions until next week to make sure." Pisti explained to her.

"I guess that's a good thing," Yamuraiha shrugged. "Anyways, I almost see my house, do you guys want to exchange phone numbers? It's okay if you don't want to though-"

Pisti went through her tiny bejewelled purse and took out a fruity scented pink notepad. "I'll write down my number first, since it's the most important. " she teased. She wrote down her number within the span of two seconds and her writing seemed like calligraphy more than anything else. She ripped off the paper off the notepad. "Here, don't lose it!"

Yamuraiha took it from her hands. "I won't." She folded it and put it into her sweatpant pocket.

"Masrur next!" Pisti threw him the notepad which he perfectly caught with his bulky hand.

He nodded at Yamuraiha and began to scribble away. When he handed her his paper; Yamuraiha wasn't sure what she was looking at. The letters were all bunched together and she couldn't make out what they said. She nodded back trying not to offend her new, old friend.

"Pass it to me," Sharrkan said.

Yamuraiha looked at him with surprise.

"What, you don't think you'll need my number? It's just for convenience if nothing." He wrote down his number carefully and handed back completely normal looking numbers.

Yamuraiha also folded it and put it into her pocket . "Jafar, can you also write down your number? And Sinbad's too I guess."

"Pisti can probably text you my number once you text her. We're right at your house, I don't want to hold us up any longer." He pulled the car into a halt.

"Okay!" Yamuraiha agreed. "Thanks guys, I'll see you next week at school probably." She moved over and opened the door. "I'll text you if I need anything."

"Yeah see you later Yamu!" Pisti called out to her.

She waved goodbye to all of them and they drove off.

Yamuraiha tiptoed back into her house and locked the door behind her. The inside of the house was just as cold as the outside, due to their lack of a working heater. Yamuraiha could see her breath, which wasn't really something anyone wanted to see inside their house.

At least there's ten blankets I can lay under, she thought.

She shuffled back upstairs and was relieved to see her father still sleeping. She ran past his room into her own and got into her pajamas. Her baby blue nightgown was totally out of the question once she noticed how cold it had gotten the past hour and a half. She glanced at the clock. 12:07. Not too bad, she reassured herself. She slipped into bed after changing and fell asleep fast for once.

"Yamuraiha, Yamuraiha,"

"Wha- who's that yelling?" She rubbed her eyes to see her very displeased father. "Oh heeey," she yawned, "what's going on?"

"Don't you have school today? It's already 7:45! You're going to be late on the first day." he urged her.

"No- I mean, there's no school today. A gas leak happened and no one is allowed there for like another week."

"Well I certainly didn't get the memo, how did you figure that out?" He crossed his arms and impatiently waited for an answer.

Yamuraiha scratched the back of her head. How was she supposed to explain to her father that she was more or less pressured into sneaking out at approximately 10 at night? And that the people she snuck out with were probably terrible influences on her. Pisti and Sharrkan, the dynamic duo that were the literal definition of the kind of people your parents tell you to avoid, Sinbad the drunk and slightly creepy so called leader of the team with his own personal caretaker, Jafar- and last, but not least the bulky silent Hulk, Masrur.

"Uh I searched up the school's website before coming here to make sure of important dates and it was there- on the website I mean." she lied. Well she couldn't have told him the truth, that would be a one way ticket into trouble. And it was probably half true since the school should have some sort of social media which they would post whether or not it would be safe to go to school.

"Oh," his face softened. "I thought you were making up excuses to stay at home. Well, I'm glad to see that you are still the same responsible person."

"That's me, Missus Responsible!" she laughed sheepishly.

"Anyways, I'm going to head out into town to get some more furniture, I'll probably back in a few hours with some trucks, but in the meanwhile just set your room up- oh and don't touch any of the boxes downstairs."

Yamuraiha nodded. "Okay dad, I'll be sure not to knock over any of our paper weight and cardboard."

"I mean it Yamuraiha. Some of the boxes contain expensive stuff."

"Stuff like what?"

"Stuff like my new work computer, so don't touch anything until I get back. We both know how clumsy you are."

Yamuraiha crossed her arms and pretended to be mad. It wasn't that convincing though, as she herself knew better than anyone of the many 'incidents' she has had. "Okay, dad I get it. I won't even go into the living room."

"Alright. Great, well I better get going now before the snow gets even worse."

Yamuraiha dressed in 3 layers once again. She didn't believe that it could have gotten colder than it did last night, but somehow it did. She put a kettle on the stove and put on the radio in the living room connected to the kitchen.

She looked at the large amounts of dust scattered across the wooden floor. It won't hurt if I just clean the living room, she thought. It would give her something to do and warm her up. She got out an old broom out of the closet and began sweeping away to a song on the radio.

It must've been a groove that was too catchy since she found herself dancing while working- which wouldn't be a problem really, but she was clumsy, and clumsiness and dancing usually don't go together. So the one thing she promised not to do she did: knock over the boxes.

It wasn't that Beyonce's Drunk in Love was even that catchy a song to begin with, but for some reason she really felt like dancing. And unfortunately for her, her dancing involved moving her arms a lot which brought her to knocking over three boxes.

She internally screamed as she watched the boxes fall one by one in slow motion. Knowing that she was done when she heard something crash and shatter, she dropped her broom immediately.

"No,no, no." she softly whispered when she kneeled over and looked inside the boxes.

China plate in good condition? Check. Another box filled with books, also fine. She made her way over the last box. She opened it to reveal a laptop missing some of its keys. "Oh."

There was no number for her to call to repair this mess. No glue for her to do it herself. She couldn't have just gone outside in the middle of a snow storm and walked twenty minutes to the nearest store. She couldn't have just looked up a solution either since the Internet had been down since she woke up. She had officially screwed herself.

Is this punishment for me sneaking out, she thought. Her dad's shiny new work computer was destroyed by her terrible dancing accompanied by old Beyoncé music.

Suddenly, there was hope. She realized that her sneaking out yesterday did have an upside. The phone numbers! She darted upstairs and searched the pockets of her sweatpants.

Her first choice was Pisti's number. It wasn't that Masrur was that bad, but she was afraid that she would just be bothering him if she called. Pisti's number was nowhere to be found. The only pieces of paper in her pocket were Masrur's and Sharrkan's.

"Masrur it is," she said to herself. She took a good look at his number. It was impossible to read. She couldn't even decipher a single number. His writing was atrocious. "Please, I don't want to call him." she whined.

It took her a good three minutes to mentally prepare to talk to him. He was the only person she could ask for help. She dialled the number.

"Hello?" Sharrkan said. "Who is this?"

"It's Yamuraiha." she answered.

"Oh! Hey."

"I need your help."

"With what?"

And that's when she explained to him. All about the boxes and her dad, the lack of Internet and glue, and how she desperately needed help. And much to her contempt all about the dancing which caused the whole mess.

She could hear him laugh for a minute without stopping. "So you basically destroyed an expensive computer and its Beyonce's fault?"

"Yes! Haven't you been listening? Please just get here with some special glue or something and instructions on how to fix computer keys."

"Wait don't you have Pisti's number and Masrur's too?" he asked. "Not that I really have anything against it, but why call me first?"

"Because I lost Pisti's number and I can't even figure out what Masrur wrote."

"Ouch. Well I'll try to get there soon, but you owe me."

"Yeah, sure whatever you want."

By the time Sharrkan had arrived Yamuraiha had already made tea, had breakfast, collected the computer keys and put them into an organized pile on the coffee table in the middle of the living room, and make snacks for the both of them to eat.

"I took long because there's a lot of snow, and I'm not apologizing for taking an hour to get here." He was holding a sort gym bag which really didn't fit with his huge coat and wool hat with red leaves on it.

"Yeah, I know I know, you're just here because you need to blackmail me with something later on. So let's just fix the keyboard on the laptop and then you can insult me how much you want and I'll do anything you want- as long as it's not anything gross."

"Aw, well all the things on my list were gross." he sarcastically said. "Where can I throw my coat?"

"I'd leave it on if I were you," she led him into the living room. "It's really cold in my house since we don't have heating yet."

He threw down the bag beside the coffee table. "When is Matal coming back?"

"I'm not even sure myself, so help me fix this as soon as possible."

"You know I could just leave the glue here and I can leave. I'm pretty sure you could figure this out yourself."

"Oh, I definitely could." she agreed. "I do need an extra hand handing me the keys so I can glue them to the right membrane. Also if you could search up an image of what a regular computer keyboard looks like I would be super grateful."

He rolled his eyes. "An answer for everything huh," he crouched down around the coffee table. "I'm taking off my coat though, I don't care how cold it is- it's better than being uncomfortable."

"I'll bring you a blanket and some tea."

"Don't put milk in my tea- I'll throw it out."

Yamuraiha looked offended. "I wouldn't even give the person I hate tea with milk- what am I gross?"

Sharrkan nodded, silently approving her response.

She ran upstairs and took a few blankets off of her bed and rushed back downstairs and dropped them into his lap.

"Dolphin blankets?" he questioned. The soft fleece in his lap wasn't something he'd be expecting a teenager to have.

"You can laugh if you want. I don't care I like them."

"It isn't bad." he quietly admitted.

It was around when they were half finished with fixing the keys for the laptop that Yamuraiha's phone rang. She dropped the 'w' and 'm' from her hands when it did.

"It's dad!" she panicked.

Sharrkan, however didn't share her panic. He continued to arrange the keys and press glue down on the key membrane.

"Hi- dad, it's Yamuraiha." she nervously laughed, and Sharrkan shook his head silently judging her.

"I know it's you because I was the one that called."

"Oh right, so UHM- what's going on- when are you coming home?"

"I don't think I'll be coming home today." his voice sounded serious.

"What do you mean?!"

"Yamuraiha have you looked outside in the past few hours? There's a snowstorm. All roads are closed and the lady at the inn told me that they'll probably only go around to clearing it tomorrow."

"Lady at the inn?"

"I'm staying at a hotel. I was lucky that it was nearby. Anyways, I'll be home as soon as possible, I'm sorry you're stuck in the cold, but the hearing guy will come tomorrow."

"Uh- yeah." Yamuraiha didn't know how to respond. The upside to this was that she could fix the keys and let them dry and keep her 'good' reputation. The downside however, was that she had to spend hours with a person she was sure disliked her in an icebox of a house. "Okay, dad. I'll just tough it out."

"What did he say?" Sharrkan asked her, his eyes still fixated on the keys.

"We're stuck here until tomorrow, unless you want to walk home in the snow storm."

"What do you mean?"

"Roads are closed."

Sharrkan blinked twice. He was at a total loss for words.

 **I will do the next chapter in Sharrkan's POV. It will be focused on him and Yamu stuck in the house. What will happen ooooo. Lol, but if you liked it review and whatnot and suggest what things I should put in! I love suggestions and reviews. Thaaaank.**


	5. Hands

**Sharrkan**

I didn't know how I couldn't see this coming. It was just my luck that there was a snowstorm. I even checked beforehand to make sure, but I guess even the weatherman is wrong sometimes.

Being alone with her wasn't a problem- the problem was in how long I would be stuck here. Now I didn't have any trouble with women- ever. Hell, I didn't have any trouble with anyone ever. I could talk myself out of any situation with minimal to no effort most days. It annoyed me how I couldn't say anything, even after all this time has passed.

And what annoyed me even more was while she worked away I was convinced that she didn't even think I existed at the moment. Rarely she would even look up, and whenever she did it was just to see that I wasn't sabotaging her. I couldn't make conversation properly. Whenever I began to talk I would insult her. It was embarrassing and frustrating at the same time.

I watched as she moved her hair strands away from her porcelain face. I had convinced myself ever since I was young that I didn't like this girl. But deep down I knew that there were some feelings left. Which made me mad at both myself and her.

"Well, we're done with the keyboard. We should let it dry for a while." she said. "Want me to make some more tea or hot chocolate while we wait?"

"I don't need anything." I answered. All I needed was to get out of there. I didn't need her to pull me back into a useless pit of unreciprocated feelings. "Do you have snowshoes that I could walk home in?" I didn't even know whether or not I was being serious or joking.

"No- but I think we have huskies which you can command to take you home in a sleigh, would you like that? Would you like a sleigh?"

"Nice, but I think I'd rather wait then." I scooted over closer to the wall and leaned on it.

Much to my surprise there she was scooting over closer to me. I thought she looked ridiculous with three layers of sweaters on and wrapped in a fuzzy pink blanket like a cocoon.

"So what do you want to do?" she asked me. I knew she was too close to me because I could feel her breath on my neck.

"Whatever, it's your house." I replied. I knew I wasn't acting like myself. I couldn't really act like myself if I was going to be alone with her for so long. It would be fine to let my guard down around others or if it's for a short amount of time, but nothing scared me more than if I let others see me when I'm just with them one on one.

"Why are you acting so cold all of a sudden?" She cocked her head to the side. "Did I do something?" The genuine concern in her voice hurt me.

"No- it's not you. I'm just cold."

"Oh, I thought it was because of yesterday. I know Pisti embarrassed you, but you don't have to worry about me judging you too hard with stuff like that." She nudged me on the shoulder.

"Well that's reassuring," I said half heartedly.

"But if I may ask you one thing- how are you able to do it?"

"Do what?"

"Be with so many people- I mean I know it's a stupid question, but I've always wondered that about the people who date a lot of girls and guys."

I took a deep breath. "I don't really date- I just hang out with them, and you know-" I didn't want to finish my sentence. It wasn't that I was embarrassed, just to say it out loud made me feel kind of ashamed.

"Oh, well I figured that out."

"Boy, it was my goal to make that seem obvious." I sneered.

"No, like I said before, I won't judge. I'm just thinking that it's kind of funny how we're opposites. You're smooth enough to talk to lots of people and make them like you- and I haven't even kissed anyone yet." She wrapped her arms around her knees. "Honestly, I'm a bit envious of people like you."

"Wait you haven't even kissed a person yet?!" I exclaimed. "Like not even once?"

She shook her head. "Nope, I'm really awkward when it comes to people I like. I think I weird them out because I'll stutter or just babble about something irrelevant." She took a deep sigh. "Which is why when I see people like you and Pisti who are so open and able to say whatever, I can't help but want to do the same. For once I'd like to not be scared."

I wanted to tell her that I was scared too- terrified really, and I didn't even know the source of my fear most of the time. Talking to others and being with new people for a short amount of time was what made me forget about my problems and feel good.

"Just don't be scared." I replied.

"Wow, thanks for the advice." She rolled her eyes."But really, I'm wondering how you don't get attached. Like I would be afraid to get attached to someone who doesn't feel the same way. Or even how to turn down someone who got attached to you."

"I don't know it hasn't happened to me." It really hasn't. Not that I knew of, anyway. There were some people that disliked me a bit after, but it wasn't due to them liking me- it was because they were possessive. I wasn't. And I never wanted to be. "I make it clear what I want early on so I don't waste people's time and they don't waste mine by becoming clingy."

"Really? But I thought that at least one person who really like you would at least try to fight for you." She sighed loudly and stretched her arms outwards. "I mean Priscilla- I swear you guys had a connection."

"How do you know?" I asked her. Priscilla was nice yes, but I was sure about her being on the same page as me. She would refer me to go after other girls and we'd have small contests along with Pisti to see just how many people each of us could attract within a week.

"Because I seen the way she looks at you. It only took me once to figure out she really really likes you."

"Looks don't mean anything. I could look at you however I want, won't change how I feel."

"Yes well, the seething hate in your eyes could be easily masked if you put on some sunglasses."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, you're wrong." I said quickly, half regretting my words and half wishing I had said them louder. She looked at me as if she was expecting a follow up explanation, but I had none to give her. Because I myself didn't understand what the hell I just said.

Was she wrong? Did I actually hate her? I found her annoying at times yes, and the amount of questions she asked made me want to tell her off, but I didn't. I couldn't. And I didn't know why. I didn't even know why I was here in the first place. I could have refused. She would have to fix a computer herself. Then at least I wouldn't have to deal with thinking about whether or not I was here because I felt something or because I was trying to do good- or maybe even I was trying to go back to the past.

"What do you mean?" she finally asked.

I didn't answer. "You smell like a grandma." It wasn't exactly a good diversion, but I knew she was going to be occupied enough with the remark to forget about her question- for some time at least.

She held one of the many sweaters she had on to her face. She put the lemon colored wool up to her nose. "Hm- I guess I do. Drinking a lot of camomile tea will do that to you. Speaking of which- have you changed your mind about having something to eat or drink?"

"Sure." I said. "I would like some soup- or anything warm really. I feel like I'm getting frozen." I rubbed my hands together. My conversation with Yamuraiha made me forget about how cold I actually was. And I was really cold. I began to contemplate putting on my large coat.

"Well if it's warm soup, then you gotta help me make it."

It took me a minute to realize she was being serious and not joking. "Like actually cut vegetables and stuff?"

"Yes, cutting vegetables is part of the deal." She laughed and covered her mouth. "So will you help me or do you just want to sit here and collect dust?" She extended her arm for me take, expecting me to agree with her idea.

"Collect dust." I said, stubbornly crossing my arms.

She pursed her lips and also crossed her arms just as stubbornly as I did. I wanted to laugh at how much older that made her look, but I didn't say anything. "Fine, I'll make it myself then."

A small victory for myself. "Glad we are on the same page," I picked up a book off the floor and flipped through it.

"And I'll eat it all myself too." she sneered. "So good luck to you," she grinned, showcasing the dimples at the sides of her mouth.

"Seriously? I just helped you! Did I not just help you glue back stupid keys to your stupid computer?" I put the book down. "You can at least repay with this. Because of you I'm going to have to chew my foot off to survive, this is just preposterous." I was exaggerating, but seriously who would deny a man some warm food in -30 degree Celsius weather?!

"I'm joking, you big loser." She took off the cocoon blanket which she was wrapped in. "I'll be in the kitchen making it," she stretched. "You just stay put and don't touch any of the boxes here. There's not much to do, but we have a few books and working radio- but no Beyonce."

"Yes I wouldn't want to break anything with my terrible dancing." I teased.

She sighed. "Yeah, just be careful. I don't want my dad thinking I had broken his computer- let alone that I had someone over."

"Yeah, cause I'm the type of person that dad would love to have over in his daughter's house when she's home alone." I couldn't believe how bitterly I said that.

She wore a confused look. "I mean- I don't know." For once she was at a loss for words, not coming up with a follow up question or snarky remark. "Does it even matter that much?"

"No, I'm just joking." I said quickly.

She silently nodded. And then walked off into the kitchen. I heard her open a squeaky sounding cupboard and pots and pans rattled out. She cursed. I was tempted to go there and try to help, but I wouldn't move. My body just froze.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, some pots fell over- don't worry about it." she called back.

I sighed and went back to the book that I put on the floor. It was 'Hamlet'. Funny enough, our school was putting on a play about it and I was cast as dying man number four. I had no idea why I had to be in the play other than my English teacher would give me some bonus marks.

I read a few pages of the book (more like almost a third of it, I'm a fast reader), and Yamuraiha came back into the living room. Her was hair tied back into a pony tail and a dirty white apron with various stains on it. She put her hands on her hips, waiting for me to say something.

"You look good," I joked.

She scoffed. "Thanks idiot. I put the soup on the stove, it's cooking now." She sat down beside me. "Hamlet is one of my favorite books."

"Huh- oh," I looked at the cover of the book stupidly, forgetting what I had just read. "It's okay, we were assigned to read it in class."

Her eyes lit up. "Ah isn't it a really good story?! I know it's old and there's a lot wrong with, but it's amazing how the themes are still relevant today…" She went on and on about how Hamlet was something really original back in the day and how gutsy a story it was. I just shut up and listened to her. After a while her words melted together and created a sort of hum. I didn't want to admit how much I liked that hum. It was relaxing to be there and sit with someone so passionate about something as trivial as an old book I didn't even bother to read in class. But she made it seem like an adventure. Her over exaggerated hand movements, the way she would smile every time I nodded that I was still listening, and how well she knew it made me laugh. But I didn't feel embarrassed when I did because whenever she made a stupid play on words she would also laugh to herself.

"And then when Ophelia dies-"

"Wait she dies?!" I exclaimed. Honestly, I was mad at this revelation as I thought Ophelia seemed pretty cool. "How?!"

"She drowns herself. Her dad dies, Hamlet is terrible to her and she's really stressed." She sighed. "Was the book not given to you to be read by your teacher?!" she said, alarmed.

"It looked stupid." I admitted. "I wasn't going to read it, I guess I don't need to anyways, since you just spoiled the whole thing for me." It was really a good thing that she did, at least know I knew what I was supposed to know about the book instead of reading short summaries off of the Internet.

"Could have stopped me anytime."

"Could have, but didn't." I smiled, and so did she.

"Well, I better get going," she high fived my open palm (which wasn't open for a high five by the way, I was tired of holding the book). "Soup is probably almost done, I made a small pot so it's ready faster."

We sat next to one another on stools and ate off the island counter. The soup was good, warm. Her kitchen was rustic looking- way different than my aunt's modern looking one. Then again, this was one of the few houses which didn't get completely remodelled yet.

"You have to make me promise you'll finish reading Hamlet,"

"Huh?" I said, my mouth full of soup. "Why?"

"Weren't you interested just now?" She stirred the soup clockwise with her spoon. The silver would hit the floral print ceramic ever so often.

"Maybe, or maybe I was being polite." I took another spoonful into my mouth.

"Either way, can't just leave a book unfinished like that." She stopped stirring. "You have to at least skim it to find out."

"I don't know if I care enough,"

"Well then how about a wager- you finish reading this book within two days and I'll give you forty five dollars. "

"What makes you think I need money-" And then I got an idea into my head. "Fine let's make a wager, but I want to choose the prize, you fine with that?" She nodded. "Okay if I finish reading this within the next two days, when school is back in session you have to try out for the school play."

Horror was painted over her face. "I can't act?! Also how is this better than money?!"

"I don't know watching you fail miserably is probably going to be priceless. Besides you know the book by heart how bad could it be?"

"Really bad!"

"You have the choice to refuse, if you're afraid."

"I'm not I just don't want to look stupid."

"Okay then you don't audition and I don't finish the book, that's very fair."

And she took my hand into hers. "Deal." I noticed how dry and cracked they were. "Now are you done eating? Want me to wash the dishes?" she asked.

"No I can do it." I insisted. "I actually like washing dishes." I lied. Well, there was no need to make her dry hands worse than they were now was there?

 **Okay, I uploaded this on my phone and it was super hard to do so because I had to try not to touch parts of screen or else it would edit it involuntarily. Anyways, if somethings off please tell me so I can fix it. As I said before English isn't my first language and I wrote this one a phone so there's going to be mistakes. I thought it would be neat to do something from his perspective and I tried keeping him in character. There's going to be a part 2 to this chapter. Hope you like it so far! PLEASE REVIEW!**


	6. Drunks and Blankets

A drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts.

"Thanks for helping me with the dishes," Yamuraiha said. "My hands usually sting when I do them in the winter- not something I could ever get used to." She pulled her hands from underneath the fuzzy blankets. Ideally, she'd be in her room underneath a giant duvet in a house that had heating- but in this situation she was sharing five blankets sitting on pillows with an almost stranger.

"Huh, yeah well you did make us food, only fair I would wash a few plates." Sharrkan wiped his nose. "You're not a bad cook- not as good as me though," he boasted.

"Just when I thought you were going to compliment me," she nudged him. "How long do you think the roads will be?"

"Want to get rid of me that bad?" Sharrkan grunted.

"No-no I don't want to get in trouble when my dad comes home. Actually- and I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm worried that he'll get more mad at you than me. Sometimes he can be a little bit hot headed." She rested her head on her blanket covered kneecaps and turned to him. "Aren't you a bit scared too?" she said in an almost whisper.

"Scared?" His eyes widened. "Of what? Your dad? Pfft. It wouldn't be the first time someone chased me out of their home."

"Not that- what if word gets around this small town that you spent so much time here, wouldn't that ruin your reputation?!"

Sharrkan laughed. "Are you kidding me?! What kind of reputation do you think I have? It surely isn't the nice boy next door. It wouldn't be the first time spending the night at someone's house- and no, before you ask I totally won't do anything."

"Not even that! Your reputation with Priscilla! Don't you think she'd be hurt?! I mean I know she really likes you!"

"That again?" He rolled his eyes. "Okay even if that were _true_ \- which it isn't- how did you come to that conclusion?"

"I told you there is a spark in someone's eye when they like someone."

"You're an idiot."

"No- seriously." She moved closer to him, their noses almost touching. "Look at my eyes do you see a spark?"

Sharrkan flinched back. "Personal space. Remember that?"

"No-" she moved in closer again. "Actually look at them and tell me if you see anything-"

He turned away. "That's actual nonsense you sound crazy."

She sighed. "Well there isn't a spark in them because I am not interested whatsoever- but I'm pretty sure that if you took a chance to look into someone's eyes next time you might see it."

"What makes you think it was because she likes me and not because she had grease or something in her eye?"

"It's impossible to argue with you-" Yamuraiha moved back. "Whatever you'll see it one day." She pulled the blanket closer to herself. "So what do you want to do?"

"You know the usual, do some drugs, break some windows, feel up some ass."

"What?!"

Sharrkan laughed. "Come on, you can't be that gullible- before you were latching onto my sarcasm and now you're just as scared as when you tried to kill me with that pot."

"No but- seriously sometimes I don't know with you."

"Well then get to know me. I'm not as bad as you think I am."

"Well I'm not as uptight as you think I am-" she said in a very self assured tone.

"I know that." he said quietly. "I know that because you were the one who always unintentionally started trouble with others and made a mess."

"I was a kid. And not uptight doesn't mean that I cause trouble it means I'm fun."

"Yeah I saw how fun you were last night." he teased.

"For whatever reason that doesn't sound right." Yamuraiha winced.

"Get your mind out of the gutter." He rolled his eyes. "I think that in many ways you're just as bad as me, but you hide it with your fake innocent persona."

"What innocent fake persona? I'm as real as can be!" she defended herself.

"Oh I'm Yamuraiha, I'm super cautious and never have I ever disobeyed the rules- oh no not me! It's why I can't let people get close to me without flipping out. But it's totally okay when I do it, because my intentions are always pure and everyone else's isn't." Sharrkan mocked her with a high voice and over exaggerated hand gestures.

"I don't talk like that!"

"You completely do. You have such a bad grasp on who you are you can't even tell when someone's saying something truthful about you. Another reason why you aren't real with yourself or others."

"Okay- want me to be real? Like really real?" She didn't want to prove anything to him, but her emotions got the better of her and there she was almost yelling for him to take her seriously.

"Yes."

"I want to drink right now. Since we fixed the computer that's all I thought about. Especially since it's cold. But unlike you, who would probably take this chance to empty a liquor cabinet I am keeping myself under control. That's the difference." The way she said it was hurtful. Like she was trying to drive a wedge in between them of how she was so much better.

"Okay, then can I have a drink?" he asked shamelessly.

Her jaw dropped. "Uhm- no? What do you think this is?"

"I think this is you getting me stuck in a freezing cold house which I will probably die in, and if I do I will come back to haunt you for the rest of your life."

"Well, I already got peer pressured once- I'm not going to fall for it again."

Sharrkan stood up and dropped the blanket. "Well, if you're not getting it _I_ am." He smirked at her bewildered face. "Why so puzzled?"

"Because I didn't know a jerk as big as you existed." She rubbed her temples. "I mean- okay, I guess you did help and stuff, and-"

"And we had a little moment? Remember that? When you told me about that play? Cause I sure remember you droning on."

"Well I don't remember telling you where we even keep the liquor so-" She held up her index finger hoping it would make her look more stern. It didn't.

"I'm assuming that like other normal people you keep it in the fridge, garage, or maybe- if you're feeling wacky somewhere in a cupboard. I wouldn't think you'd have time to stock a liquor cabinet yet so…"

She sighed. "Fridge. Bottom shelf. Rum. Forty percent. Get me that. You can take anything else except the white wine and champagne, it's for guests." It took less than a minute for him to defeat her. She wasn't sure if it was her not wanting him to create a mess while searching or if she wanted an excuse to get something to drink too.

"Great." Sharrkan walked over to the kitchen with a spring in his step. And he walked out of it with a bottle in his hand.

"What? You didn't want something for yourself?" she questioned. "Seriously, if you're afraid of my dad noticing- he doesn't. I take stuff all the time and say that it's for my nails or hair- or some other beauty DIY." She couldn't let herself drink as often as she wanted. There was only so many do it yourself projects that involved alcohol.

"I actually wasn't even thinking that actually." he admitted. "I just don't like the idea of a single person drinking a whole bottle of rum." He sat on top of the blankets.

"Well I don't like the idea of sharing." She snatched the bottle. "But you're right- I don't know my own limit sometimes." She opened the bottle.

"But I am surprised. I didn't think you'd be the party type."

"Party?" She laughed spitting out a few drops of alcohol on her shirt. "No I don't go to parties." She wiped off the rum that dripped down onto her chin. "No I just drink alone. Usually when I'm sad or lonely- or bored." She passed him the bottle.

"So like...an alcoholic?"

"No! Like a person who has a bit too much stress sometimes." An alcoholic would drink way more often than she would. It was a bi-weekly type of thing for her. Her dad would go out and she would crack open a bottle of anything she could find.

"Search up alcoholism in the dictionary basically what you just described before." He took a swig.

"Well I didn't judge you when I realized you were someone who has relationship issues."

"Yes you did. You looked at me with your judge-y Yamuraiha eyes and judged me. Also I don't have relationship issues because I don't have any relationships."

"Anything can be a relationship." She grabbed the bottle out of his hand.

"Wow, how can someone be so deep yet so vague at the same time." he said with a frivolous tone.

"I don't know- how can you be so nice yet such an ass sometimes?" She shrugged.

"Because I'm a normal human."

"Oh right like a normal person would come to an almost stranger's house when there was a snowstorm warning to help them fix a computer."

"Maybe I'm trying to be good. I don't need a reason to help you ya know? And besides if I did want something I would have said it by now, but I don't." he snapped.

"Sorry. It's just that I don't get you." She took another sip of the drink, except this time it was bigger. It stung the back of her throat, which wasn't a great feeling. She exhaled loudly. "Also I think I might be a mean drunk."

"It's been like five minutes!" he exclaimed. "You can not possibly be drunk already!"

"Stop yelling." She nudged him. "I drank more than you- and it doesn't take long for this stuff to work."

And she was right. Because within thirty minutes they were both going on about irrelevant topics and laughing. The bottle was empty at this point. Yamuraiha had taken the last few sips and set it down next to her.

"You know I'm actually a good dancer." Sharrkan snickered. He waved his hand to the beat of the music on the radio. "I think I wouldn't have broke the computer."

"Oh yeah?" Yamuraiha questioned, her words were slurred. "Well I can dance tooooooooo. But I won't show you." Her nose was red as were her cheeks.

Sharrkan was unsure whether or not she was blushing because she was embarrassed in a way or if it was because of the cold and alcohol. "What makes you think I'd want to see?"

She laughed. "I know what you really think." she teased.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah you think I'm a good dancer." She poked his chest with her index finger. "You know I'm great."

He let out a relieved sigh. "No I don't think that." He poked her back. "You know what I think right now?"

"What?"

He moved in close to whisper in her ear. "Blanket fort." And then proceeded to snicker away.

"What?"

"We- just put the blankets…" He flailed his hands together, pretending to combine something. "You know like together- and then like- live in them."

"Why can't we just live down here?" She picked up the bottle beside her and peaked inside it. "There's nothing there." Her expression resembled a disappointed child's. She leaned on Sharrkan's shoulder. "I'm so conflicted right now." She put her hands over her eyes.

"Make a blanket fort? I think-" his sentence was cut off by a burp. "I think you will feel fantaaaaaaaastic if you do."

"My room has lots and lots and lots of blankets."

"Let's go there then!" Sharrkan's elevated himself slowly. "Where is it?" She pointed up. "Then let's go-"

"Carry me." She held out her arms and opened and closed her hands. "Come on, don't be shy-"

Sharrkan shrugged. "Sure." He lifted her up, and her weight was the equivalent of his gym bag. "I thought you'd be heavier."

She slung her arms around his neck. "I thought you'd be moving upstairs. Chop, chop. I'm getting impatient."

He stumbled and had a moment of realization on how drunk he actually was. "I don't want to drop you when I'm walking up."

"Then don't." She clung to him tightly. "I'm doing my job of holding on- you do yours of walking up- comeeeee on." She yawned. "I'm actually falling asleep here."

"I'm going, I'm going." He took the next few steps cautiously. "You're so high maintenance."

"You- you say it like it's an insult." her voice cracked. "I thought we were friends-"

Sharrkan stopped on the second last stair. "No- no don't cry! We are. We are." he reassured her.

She pressed her nose up to his neck. "Good. Good." she whispered. "I didn't have many friends."

"You're joking." he said sincerely. Sharrkan moved up to the second floor. "Also we're here."

"My room is that way-" she pointed down the hallway in front of them. "Comeeee on,"

"I'm going, I'm going."

Her room was white. With almost nothing inside except a bed, dresser, and a large mountain of blankets and pillows. She had a tall window which could be opened up that looked over a nearby field.

He dropped her down onto the bed. Her blue hair flew everywhere and she began to laugh.

"Okay. Now what?" he said.

"Blankets are here." She rolled over onto the right side of her bed and picked up a cream colored one from the pile. She wrapped it around herself like a cocoon. "Look I made a fort."

"You look like a burrito." He sat down on the edge of the bed. "I think I'm too tired for the creation of a fort."

She stuck out her arms up from the blanket and patted the spot beside her. "Come here. It's comfy."

Sharrkan fell down onto the space beside her. "You're right it is comfy." He rolled over onto his back. "You know Yamuraiha- you're pretty cool. And you have a nice face."

"You can't have my face." She held onto her cheeks. "You want to steal it right?!"

"What- no- no I meant-" he looked at her terrified expression. "Nothing."

"Good, because if you did that I would have to end our friendship." She turned herself to face him. "Thanks for helping me today, you're a good person." She patted him on the cheek.

"I uh- it's no problem."

And then she kissed him. It wasn't anything big. Just a small kiss on the cheek. The type you'd be comfortable giving a friend, but for whatever reason it didn't feel that way for him.

"Sorry I should've asked." she said when she saw how anxious he looked. But neither of them moved any farther or closer than they were.

"It's fine." he said. "It's okay. You don't have to ask."

She nodded thankfully.

Yamuraiha was woken up by the sound of her phone ringing. Her head pounded and she felt like throwing up. She held her hands up to her forehead. _What even happened yesterday_ , she thought to herself. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw someone snoring beside her.

She picked up the phone, trying her best not to sound petrified and hungover. "Hey- it's me Yamuraiha." She continued to study Sharrkan.

"I know I'm the one that called!" a stern voice said over the phone.

"Uh- who is this?" she asked.

"It's me- dad. Look I'm almost home- just at a nearby market, buying us some food. I'll be home in five. Roads are clear now."

"Okay. Great. Thanks dad byeeeee!" She threw her phone down. She shook Sharrkan. "Wake up." No response. "Wake up!" He didn't even flinch. "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE GET UP!" she shook him vigorously.

"Is that any way to wake someone up?!" he yelled. "Wait how did I even get here?"

"I don't know- I think we both blacked out… And oh my god why are you half naked?!"

He glanced down to see that he was only wearing shorts. "I don't know… Shouldn't you ask yourself that too?"

"I'm not-" she looked down only to see a sports bra and pyjama bottoms. She rubbed her eyes. "Nooo." she let out a small whine.

"If it makes you feel any better I also don't know what's going on currently."

"No Sharrkan. It doesn't. It doesn't make me feel any better, you know why?! My dad is going to be here in less than four minutes. And there's a half naked stranger in my room- not to mention I'm not even supposed to have anyone over in the first place- and I'm pretty certain your car is still in the driveway."

"Then I'll get dressed and drive off- I don't know what the big deal is."

"The big deal is that I don't even know what happened and I don't want to know, and I'm just so upset right now I think I might cry!" she yelled.

Sharrkan awkwardly stood there, thinking whether he should just leave or comfort her. "I mean- I'm sure everything is fine." he said, getting dressed. "I mean if something did happen you'd probably feel it."

"Oh my gooooodness." She felt her eyes roll back into her brain. "You are such an idiot!"

"Well it's not my fault!"

"I'm sure it isn't." she replied sarcastically.

"Oh right I forgot- it can't be your fault cause you're perfect and you can never do any harm to anything or anyone. The only reason you're so mad at me is because you're a control freak and apparently you don't take losing control very well."

"Well I'm sure you don't take being made into a burlap sack very well, because that's what's going to happen if you don't leave right now!"

"Gladly." He stormed off.

Yamuraiha sighed. She had a lot of cleaning up to do.

hey y'all it's me the writer. I had fun with this one. Also in magi they're always drunk so I thought that would be in character I guess? Lol anyways hope you liked this chapter please review!


	7. Thanks

She hid the bottle, put on her sweaters, and cleaned up the blankets. It didn't take long because she ran up and down the house like a crazed animal putting stuff back where it belonged. Which was harder than it seemed for her because every few seconds she felt the need to vomit. The next thing that needed fixing was her headache, and overall how terrible she felt.

"Yamuraiha are you alright?" Her father came into her room with a concerned look on his face. "I heard you running all over upstairs- did you lose something?"

Just my sanity, she thought. She leaned against her dresser nonchalantly. "No, just doing some exercise." She wiped sweat off of her forehead. "I thought since it was so snowy outside I would just run inside the house." She chuckled nervously. "Silly me though right?" Her eyes darted back and forth making sure there was no evidence from last night.

"Uh, okay. Well if you're going to be running around the house make sure you don't slip."

"Me slip? Come on, we both know I possess a lot of agility and coordination." She leaned farther back and her elbow knocked over her ceramic alien figure, shattering it. "Oh." she said quietly.

Matal laughed quietly. "I'll clean that up, but could you use that agility to do me a favour today?"

Yamuraiha felt her blood pressure rise. Not only did she just destroy her ninth grade art project, but she was counting on sleeping the whole day. She couldn't tell her father what happened last night, he wouldn't just be angry- he'd be disappointed. And disappointment to her was the worst reaction she could possibly receive. "It depends what it is." she said with uncertainty.

"I have an order I need to pick up. I bought it by phone about a week ago in the pharmacy just 20 minutes from here- and I just want you to get it. I would do it myself, but there's a lot of furniture that needs unloading and I have to tell the electricity guys what to do."

Drive?! He wanted her to drive?! Just driving sober made her nauseous- and now with her hangover, the symptoms would be more severe. "Uh..alright." She couldn't deny getting medicine for her father, that would be a worse feeling than getting car sick.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"You know only assholes wear sunglasses indoors." Pisti said with a smirk. She flipped through a magazine on the edge of her bed.

Sharrkan was slouched against her dresser, trying his best not to slide off. "Uuuuuugh." he groaned. "I really don't feel too good so if I could have some peace and quiet-"

"Why don't you just go home? You're obviously in no mood to have a binge watching session with me on Netflix, soooo…" She turned to the next page. "I really don't want a big blob on my floor."

"I'm hungover."

"Really? I just thought the throw up on your shirt was just a bad fashion statement." Her overly satisfied face didn't help him.

"Why are you enjoying this?" he asked.

"Well for one, it's usually me that messes up in this friendship so I find this to be a refreshing change, and two I really don't get why you're here if you can't watch movies or do anything other than whine."

"My aunt has people over. I'll be forced to talk to them." He rested his hand on his forehead. "I'd rather whine here in peace."

"It's not like you to get so drunk you're sick. What- Sinbad take you out again?"

"No- not Sinbad. He's actually not allowed to take me anywhere since last time Jafar caught us doing that thing-"

"And by that thing you mean setting fire to the paperwork in his office and adding trying to make a cool indoor bonfire?"

"Yeah that thing."

"Of course I remember I was the one who made you guys do it." She beamed. "You really think you would've thought of doing something like that yourself?"

"You're right, I'm still sane enough not to make up a plan about committing a felony." He lifted his sunglasses up and rubbed his eyes. "But really I don't understand why she freaked out." He sighed.

"Who?" Pisti threw the magazine down and ran over to him.

"Nobody." Sharrkan put the sunglasses on again. "Just forget it."

"I think we both know I won't forget anything. So we can have me yelling in your ear until you break and finally tell me or we can have you spill it now."

"Well when you put it that way it's hard to choose." He grumbled. "I went over to Yamuraiha's."

"Ohhhhhhh!" Pisti snickered. "This is going to be a good one I can feel it."

"And so uhm- basically her computer broke and she needed help and being the helpful guy that I am-"

"Yeah right." Pisti rolled her eyes.

"I can do without the commentary." he snapped. "I helped her and there was a snowstorm so she was really cool about it after a while, and then we both got bored,"

"Is this the part where the story gets bad?"

"And the last thing I remember is drinking something with her. That's all." He couldn't tell her the part about what happened after he woke up. That would be bad for both him and Yamuraiha. And he was sure that he didn't want to make an enemy out of her.

"That's all? Then why do you look guilty?"

"How can you even tell that I look guilty? I'm wearing shades."

"I can tell if you're guilty, and I'm certain you're not telling me something-" Pisti kneeled down beside him and took off his glasses. "Come on you can tell me anything." She batted her eyelashes. "Pretty please I'll be your best friend."

Sharrkan turned away from her. "Give me my glasses back." he said, reaching for them.

"Now I know you did something because you're doing that thing with your lips- like- when they look like they're glued together." She threw his sunglasses behind her, landing them on her bed. "Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!" She shook him by his shoulders.

"Why am I friends with you?" he questioned.

"I'm amazing in every way possible?"

"I can't argue with that," he laughed. "Anyways, it's just that I woke up in her room- and no not like that! And I was confused and I'm pretty sure she was too- so then after yelling at me for no reason she basically told me to get out and I did." He felt his face get red. It wasn't like him to get embarrassed, he was someone who had control over his situations for the most part. He made the story less intense by leaving out the part where he woke up next to her, but knew that Pisti would still find a way to amplify the problem.

"Phone. Now." Pisti demanded.

"How would that help anything?"

"Because whenever we do something you always have to record it- so I'm guessing maybe we can find a clue as of what happened."

"Fine, but I'm checking it myself." He unlocked his phone and went straight to photos and videos. His camera roll seemed the same except there were were two new videos and a picture.

Pisti peered over his shoulder. "Check that photo first! That looks like her and you!" she urged.

Sharrkan opened it. It was a blurry photo, but he could still figure out what was happening. Yamuraiha was leaning on him and they were both sticking their tongues out and throwing a peace sign. Both of their eyes were half closed and glassy. Definitely believable that they wouldn't remember anything.

"How much did you drink?! You guys look terrible there." Pisti commented. She didn't know how to feel about the whole ordeal. She wanted to make fun of him, yet at the same time console him. Sharrkan rarely looked genuinely concerned and not only did he seem concerned this time, but he was also riddled with guilt. She could tell just by the way he was sitting.

"Thanks." his sarcastic response was delayed.

"What're you waiting for- swipe right! Look at the videos!" Her little hands hit his arm, telling him to swipe already.

"Fine." He played the video.

It was him lying down and staring at the camera which was much too close to his face.

"Why are you taking a video?" Yamuraiha asked

groggily. She was the offscreen, but close. He saw her hand poking his face on the screen.

"I don't want to forget this." he heard himself say.

"There's nothing important about this." she added. "Seriously- it's just us hanging out. We can do this anytime,"

"Right, well," the camera panned over to her face. She way lying down, her eyes were barely open, but she was cute that way. "Do you promise me that Yam? You won't just forget this?"

She put her hands on the lens. "Come on, don't record me. I look awful." Her hair was everywhere and her eyes glistened.

"No you don't…. You're the most, and I mean this- most attractive person I've ever seen-"

Sharrkan immediately regretted his decision to show Pisti the video. "Okay I think we've seen enough," he tried to move the screen away from her, however his attempts weren't successful. Surprisingly her tiny hands kept the screen in place and didn't allow him to budge.

"You're just saying that 'cause you're drunk. Guy like you does this everyday." Yamuraiha said tartly. She made a sort of pout that made him laugh in the video.

The recording ended abruptly.

Pisti turned to him wearing the smuggest face he'd ever seen. "Well, well, well." She slow clapped. "I can see that you don't have any sort of crush on her at all- I mean, calling someone the most attractive person is something regular you'd say to acquaintances anyways,"

"I WAS DRUNK." he defended himself. He felt the back of his neck burn. Did he mean to say that? He wouldn't deny that she wasn't bad looking, but obviously there are more attractive people in the world.

"Yeah, that's why you can't deny what you said. Drunk people never lie. I know that for a fact."

"You know for a fact that you sound insane." Sharrkan sighed. "Okay, so what if I did think that she was attractive. It doesn't mean anything. I think I'm attractive- and I think you're attractive too."

"Yeah, but you said she was THE MOST ATTRACTIVE."

"Again I don't even remember saying that so it means nothing! And also she's everything I try to avoid in a girl. I mean she's judgemental, and she's a bad listener, not to mention she smells and acts like an old woman."

"So you have a thing for grandmas nothing to be ashamed of," Pisti patted his shoulder.

"I hate you so much." he said, holding back his laughter.

"Aw c'mon, it's not like you didn't expect me to come up with a snappy remark."

"You could be nicer about the whole situation."

"I could, but watching you suffer is so much more satisfying. Now let's finish off that second

video."

"I'm not sure I even want to show it to you, I'm afraid you'll break something while you're jumping to conclusions."

"I promise I won't say anything rude or judgemental." Pisti said, with her fingers crossed behind her back.

"Fine. Whatever, it's not like there's going to be anything more embarrassing than the last one." He played the video.

The camera was focused on Yamuraiha swaying her arms side to side and singing along loudly with the radio.

"I just need somebody-" she snapped her fingers to the rhythm of the song. "Someone to understand," the rest of the lyrics were incomprehensible because of her and Sharrkan's laughter.

"You're a terrible singer." Sharrkan said to her.

"Noooooo." Yamuraiha disagreed. "I'm the-" she burped, "greatest singer." She smiled and winked at the camera. "If I was bad you wouldn't be recording would you?"

"You got me there."

The video ended.

"Well that was real cute." Pisti said mockingly. "You sure know how to talk to girls."

"Remember your promise?"

"What promise? My fingers were crossed." Pisti snickered. "Come on- you were expecting it." she said when she saw how genuinely upset Sharrkan was.

"I'm just really pissed off right now." Sharrkan snapped. "I mean, yesterday she acts all friendly and in the videos she actually has a personality- but this morning she literally yelled me when I woke up beside her-"

"Oh?" Pisti had sheer satisfaction on her face.

"No- wait. I meant like we woke up in the same room-" He became flustered. Pisti was his best friend, but she was the last person he would want to admit that to. She would definitely have her fun torturing him with this information for the rest of his life.

"Sure, sure. I believe you."

"Pisti I swear- if you tell a single soul- I won't ever talk to you ever. And I mean it."

"Okay I won't tell anyone, I'll just text them."

"No! Pisti I'm being serious this time, please don't be an ass about this."

Pisti breathed out. "Fine, I really promise I won't tell anyone. I'll keep your weird drunk story secret." She looked at the relief on his face, and smiled. "I know you didn't ask for my advice, but in a situation such as this one I would call them and apologize."

"BUT IT WASN'T MY FAULT."

"Doesn't matter. You know yourself, so you should have not drank."

"Wait? You're blaming this on me?!" he exclaimed. "I didn't do a single thing!"

"I know you didn't do a single thing cause if you did you wouldn't even come here you'd probably stare at a wall for five hours and blame yourself."

Sharrkan frowned. "I'm mad because you're right." He brushed himself off. "Well, if I want to talk to her I should talk to her."

"Yeah!" Pisti cheered in agreement.

"And I shouldn't be afraid of her dad!"

"Yeah!"

"So I'm going to march over there and apologize for scaring her, and we can be cool again!"

"YEAH!"

"But my headache is killing me so I better make a stop by the pharmacy before I go there."

"Yeah! You go do that! You go get your girl!" Pisti yelled and pumped her arms in the air. She knew she was being annoying, and loved every second of it.

"She's never going to be my girl- just my friend."

"Okay, get your 'friend'," Pisti paused, "which may or may not have benefits after."

"You have to chill out." Sharrkan said to her before she high fived him. "But thanks… For everything."

I uploaded this on my phone and did want to delay the chapter, so there might be a few mistakes. Anyways please tell me if you like the story so far. I want to keep it lighthearted but there will be drama up ahead, but NO LOVE TRIANGLE. I promise!


	8. Not Running

The drive to the pharmacy was terrible. Yamuraiha wasn't the best driver and the fact that the roads had many unfilled holes made her all the more worse. She felt her brain hit against her skull when she put her foot on the brakes, skidding the car on the ice. What did I do to deserve this, she thought. The sun that she usually loved was know piercing through her sunglasses and made her nauseous.

After driving for twenty minutes she finally arrived at the pharmacy. She tried her best to keep her composure and moved her messy hair away from her face. Certainly she wouldn't look her best today, but that didn't mean she had to look horrible.

There was hardly a difference from the pharmacy in the city: they were both plain, grey, and filled with old people arguing with the cashiers about their coupons. The surprising thing was the amount of people in the store- she expected the cashiers to be missing. But apparently selling cough medicine and gross gluten free snacks was profitable.

She looked down at the list her father gave her. She couldn't pronounce half of the medicine on the list, let alone know what it was for. He seemed to be making more and more visits to the doctors the past few months and his list of ailments just got longer and longer. It worried her, but she didn't want to ask questions. Because questions meant getting answers that she didn't really want to hear. Running from reality- that she was good at- great even.

She was overwhelmed by the amount of choices there was in the pharmacy. Colourful packaging with words all mixed up. It wouldn't be a bad idea to ask for help.

"Hey could you please help me find this?" She brought the extensive list up to one of the employees shelving the dietary products onto one of the bottom shelves.

The young man stood up. "Sure, I think there's some of that in lane 1," he took a moment to think, "the second item is right beside the medicine for headaches at the back other there- and everything else you should be able to pick up over the counter with a prescription."

"Oh thank you-" she looked at his name tag, "Spartos." His name sounded familiar, but it wasn't the time or place to bring it up.

"No problem, come to me anytime you need to find anything. I work on commission the more things you find the more money I make." he laughed to himself, pushing the red bangs out of his eyes ever so slightly.

She instantly liked his shy and calm demeanour, wishing she was more like that. Her hot headed self was scary even to herself sometimes. "I'll be sure to do that." She walked away towards the cough medicines since it was closest.

She felt nervous walking up to the shelves as a really tall man was blocking everything. He grumbled to himself while searching through the medicines. "Excuse me?" she spoke up. The man didn't respond. "Hello?" He continued to rummage through the medicines. She tapped his arm to get his attention. "Hey," she said.

The man turned around, taking his earbuds out. He was wearing sunglasses and an ugly brown coat with a mismatched hat. "It's you!" he exclaimed.

"Me?"

The man lifted up his sunglasses, revealing Sharrkan underneath. "Miss me that much?" he teased.

"Wait- why are you here?!"

"Same reason why you are." he said in snarky tone.

"You're getting your dad's prescription medication too?" she said sarcastically.

"Oh. Then I guess not the same reason- but it'll be a good idea for you to get something for your hangover too, judging by those sunglasses you're sick too." He picked up a small bottle. "Ah, finally found it."

"I am training my body to not have a dependency on medicine." she said tartly, crossing her arms.

"Well good luck with that." he replied, equally tartly.

"I will have good luck with that."

He stopped for a moment. He should have said something about last night right about now, not talk about medicine. She talked to him as if nothing happened- but for whatever reason he didn't like it. He didn't want her to avoid it and feel uncomfortable.

"Yamuraiha about last night-"

"It's fine." She felt her cheeks burning. She almost forgot the events of last night.

"No, but-"

"I said it's okay, I know you didn't do anything. I was just freaking out because I was stupid." she admitted. She looked at him and smiled. "Never imagined you to be the type to clear things up the day after."

"Yeah, well this time it's different."

"Because it's someone you don't want others finding out about." She rolled her eyes at his blank expression. "Figures."

"Eh, something like that. Mostly because I don't like leaving things on a bad note. And also because I don't want you thinking I would do something like that."

"The people that usually do things like that try to convince others that they would never do something like that."

"I'm trying my hardest to apologize and make amends! Don't make this more difficult than it is!" he demanded.

"Sorry- bad habit." she chuckled at the sight of his flustered face. "And I'm sorry too."

"For what?"

"For everything really. For almost knocking you out with a pot that one time, for not trusting you, and for accusing you of- well being gross. Let's just forgive and forget." Yamuraiha didn't want to dwell upon the past. And she wanted to change her stubborn self and take a chance on Sharrkan. She had the nights before and nothing bad happened.

"Really?" His face lit up. "Yeah sure, whatever." He wiped his nose. "We sure do look sketchy today, don't we?" He changed the subject.

"Sketchy?" She looked down at herself. Sunglasses at the end of winter, messy clothes, and a long list of prescription medication, yeah, sketchy was the nice way of putting her appearance into words. "You're right. Anyways, I better get going I don't want my dad to wait."

"See you," he said. "And don't forget about your audition next week."

"Only if you don't forget to read your book," she said in a sing song voice. She walked away with confidence. She didn't know why or how, but each time she had met with him so far she felt stronger, not in a physical sense, but an emotional one. He didn't necessarily do anything to spark it, yet just talking to him made her feel more alive. It was a stupid way to think of it that way, but there was no other way to describe it. An exact opposite of herself with a high level of arrogance and an even higher level of humility. A person who she couldn't figure out- and someone she wouldn't run from anymore.

 **Short chapter. It didn't need to be long. Anyways y'all how are you? I'm good thanks for asking. I went to the movies with a guy and he tried to kiss me and I didn't know how tell him I don't roll that way. Lol anyways REVIEW PLEASE!**


	9. Audition

School was back in session. The very dangerous leak was taken care of and the students were finally allowed back into their little cage.

Yamuraiha was excited to enter the cage. It was a new place- and scary, but she had made a deal with herself to approach things with a positive attitude. It was cheesy, but her attitude really did change the way her morning went. Instead of groggily roaming into the entrance hall with her head down and her earphones in, she put her nose up high and took the time to look around. Sadly, not everyone had the same attitude as her and the students seemed tired.

She did see a loud group making more noise than they should have. She peered through the large clumps of people to see familiar faces. It was Sharrkan, Pisti, and the red headed Spartos from the store. She saw them all laughing together and pushing one another. They were too nicely dressed for students. She didn't want to admit to herself, but even Sharrkan looked presentable when he was all cleaned up. Pisti looked especially cute with her purple smock dress and black tights, she swayed side to side as a flustered Spartos looked away.

She would have time to say hello to them later, right now she had to figure out where she had to go. She buried her face into the numerous papers in her hands.

"Oh hey it's your girlfriend!" Pisti nudged Sharrkan in his stomach.

"Ow- who?"

"Sharrkan you have a girlfriend?!" Spartos said in disbelief. "Why don't you guys tell me anything?" He crossed his arms waiting for an explanation.

"I don't."

Pisti pointed at Yamuraiha. "It's that one." she whispered to Spartos.

"Oh hey, I've seen her somewhere. I think I saw her at my work. She came in once. She doesn't seem bad, good job Sharr."

"Pisti don't spread lies around." Sharrkan said flatly. "Spartos that's just Yamuraiha, remember her? She was our friend."

"Oh!" Spartos clapped his hands together. "Yeah I remember her. You would pick on her and then that one time she punched you in the nose after you put a lizard in her bag and you wouldn't stop crying."

"I don't remember that." Sharrkan mumbled.

"Well I'm going to pull her over here to properly introduce her to you Spartos." Pisti gave him a subtle wink before strolling off.

Despite her small size, the students got out of her way within seconds. Spartos would mention that it was because of aura of fierceness and confidence that would send them running to opposite sides of the hallway.

"Yamuraiha!"

"Huh who was that?!" Yamuraiha cocked her head up only to see Pisti standing in front of her. "Oh hello, I'm going through my papers- surprisingly there's a lot going on here." she chuckled to herself nervously.

"Yeah schedule and map, that sure is complex,"

"There's also a couple newsletters and the school rules-"

"Well I just wanted to introduce you to Spartos properly over there, so if you'll just come with me," Pisti pulled on Yamuraiha's wrist.

"Wait, I have to go up to the second floor and find my class."

"It's fine let's go already!" Pisti pulled her harder.

"Wait- you're going to make my papers-" sheets of white and color all fell to the floor, "fall," she said in a defeated tone, as her eyebrows bumped together into a scowl.

"I'm sorry!" Pisti kneeled down to help pick up her papers.

"It's fine." Yamuraiha said, annoyed.

"We're here to help too," Spartos crouched over and collected the sheets. "Pisti you shouldn't pull people by the wrists."

"I said I was sorry!" she exclaimed. "It's fine isn't it?! I won't do it again I learned my lesson."

"You have the mental capacity of a goldfish, you'll be pulling on more wrists in the next hour." Sharrkan was beside Yamuraiha also helping pick up papers. "You told me you'd stop last week- and here I am now picking up these paper-" Sharrkan stopped to glance down at what he his fingers had accidentally got a hold of because it certainly wasn't paper.

"That's my hand," Yamuraiha wiggled her hand hand out from underneath his. His hand was warm and gigantic compared to hers. She found it amusing that the universe would find ways in showing her how many more differences they had.

"It's so cold and small I mistook it for- actually, I don't know what I mistook it for, but certainly didn't feel like a human hand."

"What did you think it was; a velociraptor claw?"

"That seems more like it." Sharrkan nudged her, "you have an eyelash on your face." he pointed out the small black hair that was on her right cheek.

"Huh where?"

"It's okay I'll get it." His index finger caught the eyelash on it's tip. "You can make a wish and then blow it off,"

"That's a thing?"

"I can confirm that to be true." Spartos said while placing the sheets he picked up into her hands. "Wish for anything really."

"Well, alright." Yamuraiha closed her eyes. "Okay I made a wish," she eagerly said and she blew off the eyelash. "Okay is that good?"

"I don't know, you got some of your velociraptor spit on my hand." Sharrkan wiped his fingers on his pants. "But it's cool,"

Yamuraiha huffed. "Well you don't have to point it out and make me feel bad about it!"

"It's just spit who cares?" Sharrkan picked up the last piece of paper, "besides your papers are all back in your clammy, little claws now aren't they? You should be grateful,"

Yamuraiha glanced down at the pile in her hands. "Well, I guess they are. And I am grateful. Pisti, Spartos, a big thank you to the both of you for helping,"

"No problem Yamu!" Pisti chirped.

"Yeah, sorry it was Pisti's fault they fell in the first place." Spartos chuckled.

"Hey what about my thanks?" Sharrkan grumbled. "I also helped!"

Yamuraiha bit her lip and thought of a reason not to thank him. It was stupid of her really, and she knew that. But she couldn't stop herself from trying to push his buttons. "Thanks," she patted him on the head.

He waved her hands off his head. "Don't treat me like a kid," he stood up. "Anyways, if you don't want to get swept up in the crowd you better go to your classes now, or else you'll be late."

"We have five minutes to get to class after the first bell rings."

"Yeah, but people here walk really, really slowly." Spartos said.

"Really? Well thanks, I guess I'll go now-" she rushed off.

"Yamuraiha!" Sharrkan called out to her as she ran up the stairs.

"What?"

He pulled out Hamlet from his backpack. "I finished it over the weekend! It was pretty good! Now you have to finish your end of the deal!"

Yamuraiha froze on the stairs, realizing the promise she made. "I don't know where to go to audition." Yeah an excuse, that would work.

"I'll text you and meet you here by the doors at lunch! I'll show you the way,"

"Fine!" she called out. "Whatever you want!"

"Pisti you were right, he still really does have a weird crush on her."

"Told ya Spar," she gloated. "I'm always right about these things."

"I guess you are, I would've thought nothing of it if you didn't tell me about it before-" he paused, "which comes to the topic of who do you like?" he asked.

Pisti scratched the back of her neck. "Uhm, it's just a boy." she sheepishly laughed.

"I've been trying to figure out for months now!"

"We'll keep guessing,"

"At least give me a hint."

"Fine." Pisti sighed. "His name ends with an 's', there that's all the hints you get." She turned away from him and sped walk away.

"Wait, but that could be anyone!" Spartos followed her up the stairs. "Mr. Mathews? Leonas? Come on you can't ignore me forever!"

"Seriously I've given you many hints before- if you can't tell by now I don't know why I even bother." She stomped her foot and began to walk faster.

"Hey wait- Pisti what does that even mean?" Spartos stroked the nape of his neck. "Hey wait- why are you putting your headphones in? I thought we were talking!"

"Go talk to that stupid brain of yours." Pisti flipped her hair back in Spartos's face before leaving him stranded on the school stairs.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Chemistry was a breeze. It was satisfying to see that her new school's curriculum was easier and that she was ahead of her classmates. She didn't like being known as the know it all in her old school for raising her hand on every question. A fresh, quiet start. Yes, she could reinvent herself the person who keeps to themselves, rather than a drooling nerd.

Her second period gym however was not so easy. Her gym teacher, coach Amon was a rounded, easy going old man and let her sit out the first half of the basketball game. However when a girl named Hakuei injured herself on the court she was called into play for the other team. She was miniature and meek compared to the other tall and muscular women playing. However running up and down chasing the ball while simultaneously sweating wasn't the worst of her experience. The worst had to be when Toto, the largest and strongest girl threw the basketball with all her might into Yamuraiha's hands. Well, it would've been into her hands if she knew what was going on. No, the ball missed her hands and hit her chest. Which hurt. A lot.

It was at times like this she was thankful that she was terrible at makeup and that she didn't have any on for it run down her face. She feared for a few seconds she would start crying from fatigue or general pain, but ignored it as class was over.

She took a shower and changed into her worn jeans and knit sweater before heading out. She tied her hair into a braided bun before jumping into the shower to avoid getting it wet. Once she looked in the mirror she kept it because it looked cute.

"Took you long enough." Sharrkan said, irritated. "Are you ready to audition?"

"Don't you mean make a fool of myself?" Yamuraiha rolled her eyes. "Sure can't be worse than having my chest almost taken off with a basketball."

Sharrkan's face screwed into discomfort, "What? No I mean audition- why do you have to be so negative all the time?"

"Sorry, I'm just- I don't know if I'll be good at acting."

"You don't even have to be good at acting, you just need to know your lines. I know all this cause' I have both English and drama. The two teachers came together to make this show and they told us that we didn't have to be that good at acting as long as we were passionate about the whole thing."

"Yeah, but why a play on Hamlet isn't that boring?"

Sharrkan raised an eyebrow. "Have you seen this town? It's basically fields and small shops and old couples. This play is going to sell out, trust me. Entertainment that's close by- always a plus here." He took her hand, "the auditions are happening in a room on the second floor,"

She followed him up slowly, becoming more and more nervous with each step. She really wanted to melt at a moment like this. If she gets in then she'll have to practise everyday and work with others- which wasn't a problem, just something she'd rather not face- and there was also the topic of performing in front of people. If she didn't get in then she would feel awful about not knowing her favorite play well enough to make it.

"It's a double edged sword," she whispered to herself.

"Hmm? What was that creepy voice? Did you hear it Yamuraiha?" Sharrkan turned around.

"Uh- no you must be imagining things," she coughed.

"Well, we're here." Sharrkan presented the room. "The others must be inside already, I have to talk to Miss Vinea about my part in the play also so I'll go in there with you, but this class is connected to another one and that's where you go to audition."

"Easy enough," she took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm ready,"


	10. Bell

"H-hello," Yamuraiha said nervously.

The audition room was small- tiny was more like it. It had only two windows on the side where the light peered through and a lamp that hung from the ceiling. It looked more like a scene from a scary movie rather than a place where people would judge her acting skills.

Two teachers sat side by side. A man and woman with clipboards, surprisingly seeming too professional to be sitting on crates near the door.

"So, Yummy-rai-haah M-mouwgawment," the male teacher cleared his throat after butchering her name. "What part are you auditioning for?"

"Well- I think I would be a great Ophelia." She pushed the loose strands of hair out of her face. "I know the play pretty well-" she stopped explaining after seeing the pure disinterest on both of their bespectacled faces. "Right I'll just- I'll just do the scene that I'm supposed to do."

And she did. She spoke confidently and not once did she look at her sheet. She felt happy while speaking and noticing the emerging expressions of admiration. Halfway through she threw the sheet down and let her hands help her speak: making both dramatic and subtle gestures. At the end she took a short breath.

"Was- was that okay?" Her anxiousness came back to her awaiting their response- fearing their rejection.

"Well, I have a few questions for you Yamuraiha," the female teacher said. "Would you be fine doing the drowning scene, the original play doesn't show it, but we are changing a few things, we would be bringing a clear bathtub and filling it to the brim with flowers,"

"That's completely fine-" she answered.

"Good," she scribbled something down on her clipboard. "You don't have any allergies to any materials?"

"Not that I know of."

"And how would you feel about doing a stage kiss?"

"Ophelia doesn't kiss anyone in the original play, not that I know of anyways,"

"Yes, well we are adding some drama." the male teacher said in a pretentious tone. "How would you feel about it?"

"I mean, sure- it's not like I haven't kissed anyone before." She laughed nervously. "Sure."

"Okay, well we have a few more kids doing auditions today, the results will be posted at the end of the day today."

"Hey!" Sharrkan greeted her as she walked out. He was wearing brown robes and had dark paint rubbed underneath his eyes. "Miss let me be the grave digger. " He grabbed the fabric of the robe and swung it side to side.

She gave him a thumbs up. "Well I'm glad to see you looking like you just went to a weird concert. The makeup suits you, but you smudged a bit of it on your cheek,"

"Where?" Sharrkan pulled out his phone to use as a mirror.

"It's fine I'll do it." She stood on her toes to get a better view of his face before pressing her thumb against his cheek. "There it's better." She moved backwards.

"Sharrkan, I need to-" Miss Vinea paused and studied Yamuraiha. "Hello dear, what's your name?"

Just by looking at this woman for less than a second Yamuraiha knew her type. The young teacher that knows everyone and the one that everyone likes. She could tell by her trendy shoulder length haircut dyed ash blonde and clothing that was classy, yet stylish.

"Yamuraiha," she answered after a short pause.

"Yamuraiha," Miss Vinea echoed. "Ah, so you're the reason why Sharrkan actually read a book. When he told me he read it I was baffled, he does so good on the essays and personal pieces, but fails the book reports and assignments. No matter what I couldn't get him to read,"

Sharrkan rolled his eyes. "The other books were boring," he said defensively.

"That's because you didn't read them, anyways you guys better start packing up third period is starting soon."

"Thanks, and would you mind telling me where room 100 is?"

"That's first floor English with yours truly," Miss Vinea proudly pointed to herself. "Come, I'll show you where that is,"

"Thank you, Miss."

"What's your class after English?"

"Oh, well since I moved here I didn't get to choose two of my classes, which is fine since I did my more important ones first semester. So I'm in drama- 11th grade drama."

"Hey, that means you're in my class!" Sharrkan raised his hand for a high five, which Yamuraiha ignored.

"Don't worry, it's March. Not much school left especially for a senior. These months will fly by I promise." Miss Vinea said in a reassuring tone.

"It sure doesn't feel like March. It's still frigid."

"That's because we're a bit up North, it'll get warm once April hits."

"Yeah, but summers here are great! Lakes, hikes, festivals, the middle of nowhere has its perks." Sharrkan exclaimed. "Just watch, by the end of summer you're going to fall in love with this place,"

And Yamuraiha found herself smiling.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

After English Yamuraiha followed her school map to drama class. She heard noises and shrieking before entering the classroom. So it was going to be that class, huh? She prepared herself before entering, but it didn't help much. She was unable to comprehend the mess that was drama class.

The chairs were in a circle around an empty space where Mr Amon, her gym teacher was standing; belligerently snapping his fingers to get the attention of the class.

She spotted two familiar faces amidst the chaos. Sharrkan and Pisti were watching a video together on his phone, sharing their headphones and completely ignoring Mr Amon. She found herself being a bit jealous of how close they were. She had friends before, but they weren't close friends. She wouldn't talk to them outside of school except for school matters. Just by observing them bopping their heads up and down in unison to video confirmed their closeness in her eyes. There was no fear of judgement, something she had to let go of.

"Oh hey," Pisti took out her earphone, "it's Yamu!" She patted the seat next to her. "Come! Sit next to me!"

Yamuraiha nodded and sat next to her. "Hey, why is Mr A teaching drama? Is he our teacher? I thought he was gym."

"Staff is short. He's gym and drama." Sharrkan answered.

"CLASS!" Mr Amon yelled, and cleared his throat after noticing that everyone stopped talking. "I'm sure that you just heard the bell ring, and that it's finally time to settle down."

A few kids in the class whispered amongst each other and laughed.

Yamuraiha felt bad for the man.

"Well, we have a new student in class today. Her name is Yamuraiha," he paused, probably trying to remember what to say next, "Yamuraiha why don't you tell us about yourself?"

"Alright." It's not like she had trouble introducing herself to the three other classes, but for whatever reason she had trouble getting a word out in front of Pisti and Sharrkan. "Well I used to live in a nearby suburb, or city I guess since it only took me 5 minutes to get anywhere- and then my dad just wanted to move here."

"Great, and do you have any interests you want to share? Any talents?"

"I'm really good at chemistry and biology, and I have a good memory when it comes to school- it's awful when it comes to anything else though, uhm," she let out a small nervous laugh, "that's all."

The teacher clapped his hands together. "Thank you Yamuraiha for sharing. Now we all know what we're doing today right? Mirror exercises and our projects."

Sharrkan passed a note to Yamuraiha behind the chairs. Texting would be better than a not obviously, but Yamuraiha would never even think to touch her cellphone in class. He tapped her on the back to get her attention and threw it over her shoulder, landing it on her lap.

Yamuraiha rolled her eyes, and opened the note when Mr Amon's back was to her.

Want to go to the mall with me and Pisti after school? It's a 20 minute drive.

That couldn't wait until the end of the day? Yamuraiha crumpled the note and put it in her pocket. She turned to Sharrkan and gave him a thumbs up.

Both him and Pisti smiled.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The final bell was about to ring. The teacher had given up on teaching the class that had made up its mind to pack up and relax for the last five minutes.

"I really don't know why they call this the country when really everything is still close by, we just have bigger houses and more land." Pisti said.

"That's because you live right where the 'country' part ends," Sharrkan corrected Pisti. "And Yamuraiha, we can leave your stuff in the car since the school is closer to the mall than any of our houses, is that okay?"

"Yeah, of course. I just have to tell my dad. See if he's okay with it."

"Oh come on, you don't have to tell him everything." Pisti said.

"There's nothing wrong if she does." Sharrkan shrugged. "My parents were like that towards my brother when they were around."

Before Yamuraiha could say anything the announcements had turned on.

"We have found our cast," the voice over the announcements said, "it was a tough choice and everyone gave their best, congratulations to everyone who tried out,"

Yamuraiha felt her stomach turning. Pisti squeezed her hand for support and gave her a sympathetic nod. She didn't understand why they had announced it instead of just posting it on a bulletin board.

The voice went through a handful of other names before getting to Ophelia.

"Ophelia will be portrayed by Yamuraiha Mogamett." the voice said. "Congratulations to all who tried out, the substitutes for each part will be posted on a bulletin beside room 208, thank you have a great day."

The final bell had rung.

Yamuraiha sat in shock as the class congratulated her.

Please review if you liked it or didn't. I'm just writing this for practise, but I have an ending and plot in mind. Please suggest anything you want.


	11. Car Radio

"Yamuraiha, your face is still blank, what gives?" Pisti waved her hand slowly before her friend's eyes.

Five minutes passed since the bell rung. The other students already poured out to meet the bus and other means of transport.

A very shocked Yamuraiha was guided to Sharrkan's car by Pisti. She could still move, yet her racing mind made it hard for her to think, let alone speak.

Yamuraiha shook her head. "A part of me really wanted the part, but I don't know." She sighed and reached for her seatbelt. "I didn't think I'd be able to get it, or maybe I did and just it happened so fast."

"Wow, you're so dramatic." Sharrkan smirked, adjusting his rearview mirror. "You're perfect for the part no matter what it is. You have that whole appearance of someone that bleeds theatre." He started up his car. "Seatbelt, Pisti."

"Oh right,"

"Wait- 'bleeds theatre'? What does that even mean?" Yamuraiha crossed her arms and her face turned sour.

"Oh come on, you get passionate about whatever you're doing- and that's just what those theatre nerds are about." Sharrkan paused and shook his head furiously as if to rattle up his thoughts. "Whatever, let's just get going, the roads are going to suck for the first five minutes of driving." He backed out of his parking space and joined the line of cars driving out from the school to their destinations.

"That means our sing alongs are going to be great the first five minutes!" Pisti turned on the radio. "Yamuraiha do you sing?"

"No, but she dances,"

Yamuraiha rolled her eyes at the toothy grin she saw on the rearview mirror. "I mean, I'm not good," she said to Pisti, ignoring Sharrkan's reference to the incident which happened a few weeks ago.

"You don't have to be good you just gotta sing with soul, right Sharr?"

"Right. No fools in this car." He tapped his fingers impatiently waiting for the car in front of him to turn.

Pisti turned to a station playing an old popular song. "Hey, do you guys remember this song?" She turned up the volume. "It was so overplayed,"

"Damn, I feel old listening to it," Sharkkan laughed, then glanced back at Yamuraiha, waiting for her to respond.

The song was familiar yes, but she couldn't figure out where she heard it and why it made her feel to unexplainably sad. It was a happy song, no doubt about it. Her friends seemed to be jamming out to it and singing off tune with such delight.

"This would always play in the toy store, you know the one in the city?" Pisti said, still drumming her fingers in the air.

"Oh, right. Even I hated it back then." Sharrkan added.

The toy store rung a bell in her head, but that wasn't why she was sad. She pictured her younger self hearing that song and walking around with her father. People were particularly sympathetic to her that day.

The toy store was almost vacant however, that she knew well. Aside from the owners there were no kids there- she and her father probably visited during a weekday. It was rare of him to ever take time off of his work and to use that time to go to a toy store was unheard of.

"Oh remember the time we went to that graveyard at night last year?" Pisti broke Yamuraiha's train of thought. "You were so scared," she teased Sharrkan.

Yamuraiha had gotten so lost in her thoughts she hadn't realized the school was no longer in sight and that they were driving through a part of town that had an empty valley on one side and what seemed to be the the largest graveyard she had ever seen in her life on the other.

"Yeah, but not as scared as Sinbad- he held onto Jafar the whole time," he said, letting out a small chuckle. "Hold on guys, we're making a sharp turn."

Yamuraiha took a good long look at the graveyard and she remembered. Finally, she remembered-and she wished she hadn't.

She was at the toy store with her adoptive father after her real mother's funeral. It was such a terrible feeling seeing someone who was meant to be so close to her dead. Her nine year old self didn't know how to react to seeing the person who gave her up without any thought.

It wasn't like her real father and mother were separated and they had money too. She couldn't believe how bitter she still felt after all these years.

She remembered hearing some people at the funeral whisper over her about how her parents didn't think twice about giving her up. 'Not good enough,' was a phrase that circled around in her mind at the time. Actually, that was incorrect- it was a phrase that continued to haunt her mind.

She cried during that funeral. And she didn't hold back a single tear. It was the worst feeling in the world. And she hated that she still felt empathy towards someone who never even felt enough towards her to even give an explanation of why she was abandoned. It was moments like that which made Yamuraiha wish Matal was less honest with her. At the time she would have rather thought her parents had disappeared. Any tragic fake backstory would have hurt less than knowing she was voluntarily given up.

"We're here guys," Sharrkan said as he turned the car engine off.

"Can we get food and go to the piercing shop first?!" Pisti excitedly asked.

"Whatever you guys want, I'm fine with anything," Sharrkan said in an overly relaxed tone. He just wanted an excuse to get out of his house. His older brother was visiting and whenever that happened things weren't looking so pretty.

"I'm fine with anything too," Yamuraiha undid her seatbelt, and pushed her bag to the side. "But if we're eating I can pay for you guys- as long as it's reasonable."

Pisti shrugged. "Sure I'm fine with free food how about you?"

Sharrkan looked back at Yamuraiha's glum face, knowing that something was up. "Sure," he replied. It was better not to pry- and food usually helped erase a grim expression. "Have you been to the mall before?"

Yamuraiha shook her head. "No I haven't been to this mall before, but back home we had a big one," she said as she slid out of the car.

"Yeah this mall is okay, the one by Sinbad's summer home down southwest by the ocean is the best though," Pisti chirped all while gazing at the sky, reminiscing. She lead the way towards the entrance of the mall. "You should really join us this spring break this year- there's lots to do over there,"

Yamuraiha bit her bottom lip and tried to think of a way to politely decline. She did say she would stop running, yes, but to go on spring break with a bunch of, well for lack of a better word hooligans would definitely not be a good idea. Especially after the fiasco that was Sharrkan staying overnight after they both blacked out from drinking.

"I mean, I don't know if my dad will let me," she sheepishly said, shrugging.

"I'm sure you can convince your dad!" Pisti said.

"If she doesn't want to go she doesn't have to, Pisti." Sharrkan said coldly.

"What makes you think I don't want to go?"

"I can tell when people lie," Sharrkan looked at her smugly. "You could say it's a gift," he said, adding an overly dramatic hand wave.

"Well maybe you're wrong this time," she crossed her arms to emphasize her point. It was hard enough already for her to look like a serious adult in front of him, actually, it was hard enough for her to look like a serious adult in front of anyone due to her being 5"2.

"Well maybe you shouldn't bite your lip while you think of a lie to tell," he pressed her nose as if it were a button. "And your face is really red right now," he added, chuckling to himself.

Pisti joined in on his laughter.

Yamuraiha tried her best to be mad at them, but she soon found herself snorting along with them.

"Okay, fine, you're right," she admitted. "I'm just unsure as of how everything will work, I mean won't it be awkward having me there?"

"Trust me, it won't be," Sharrkan put his hand on her shoulder. "And even if you do make it awkward it won't be as bad as Pisti." He shot a certain look at Pisti which Yamuraiha was having a tough time to decipher on whether it was him being mad or a joke.

"Hey, say what you want, but at least things are fun with me around," Pisti bragged. "I'll get the door," she held the entrance for them to walk through.

"Yeah and things are illegal when you're around too," he rolled his eyes.

"That was like three times!"

"More like three times every day,"

"Uhm, guys, sorry to break up this banter here- I have to ask, where are we even going?" Yamuraiha was genuinely concerned as the mall was uncharted territory and full of strange unfamiliar faces.

"Oh right, food court," Pisti snapped her fingers. "First floor, we're already here," she pointed forward, "the middle of the mall,"

And onwards they went.

AUTHOR: Hello, sorry this chapter was meant to be longer, but I'm going away for a week and didn't want to leave you guys with nothing. I also can't see my reviews for whatever reason :c anyways this chapter isn't much, but I wanted some backstory on Yamu. There will be more backstory on Sharrkan too soon and Yamu will be much more in depth.

Also, for anyone wondering English is my third language. Russian is my first and French is my second. Thanks again for reading!


	12. Signs

"Uhm, what is this exactly?" Yamuraiha said as politely as she possibly could, when she was presented with what seemed to be a pile of dirty rags.

"It's kind of like a shwarma, but not really- trust me, it's good," Sharrkan advised her while taking a bite of a similar dish.

She poked the food with her fork: it seemed okay to eat. The smell wasn't terrible either, just the appearance of it was awful. "Well, looks can be deceiving," she mumbled as she took a small portion into her mouth.

"How is it?" Pisti asked, her tone a bit too excited.

Yamuraiha nodded with a smile on her face. "It's actually, really good," she said when she finished chewing. "Like really good," she paused, "what is it though?"

"It's like a tofu thing-" Sharrkan explained. "I was skeptical at first too, but Pisti made me try it once and I really like it,"

"Like it enough to become a vegetarian?" Pisti asked with her eyes sparkling and her hand folded together.

"Not a chance," he shot her down quickly.

"So after eating this what're we doing?" Yamuraiha questioned.

"Pisti wants to get her belly button pierced," Sharrkan said waving his fork around, "personally, I don't like that idea,"

Pisti shrugged off his comment. "Well I want to look extra cute during spring break in my bikini so I don't care if you don't like it," she flipped her hair sassily. "What do you think about it Yamuraiha?"

"Well, actually-" Yamuraiha lifted up her sweater ever so slightly that a small jewel could be seen on her navel.

Sharrkan quickly turned away.

"You didn't!" Pisti almost screamed. "I thought you'd be against piercings!" She leaned across Sharrkan. "I mean, wow how did your dad even allow that? Why did you even get it in the first place? So many questions!"

Yamuraiha covered her stomach back up. "I got in in the tenth grade. And no, my dad doesn't even know about it. I got one of my older friends sister to do it for me." She sighed. "Kind of a stupid and impulsive decision, really,"

"That doesn't explain why you have it though," Sharrkan stated.

"Oh that," Yamuraiha blushed madly. "Well, you see- I had this teacher that I really liked. And he was older and really cool-" she paused to regain her composure and muster up enough courage to finish her embarrassing story, "and one day he nonchalantly said 'navel piercings are kind of cool,' so I just thought that-"

"You didn't." Sharrkan interrupted her.

Yamuraiha nodded. "I did," she paused again, nervously laughing to herself, "and so I asked one of my friend's sister who did piercings- not in an actual boutique or anything I might add, but she was someone who had equipment. And I asked her to pierce my navel."

"So you did this just to impress your teacher?" Pisti raised an eyebrow.

Yamuraiha shook her head, "no I did it more for me. I was 16 at the time and looking back at it I felt the need to do something rebellious. I never even told my teacher about it. It was just something I did to please myself in the end,"

There was an awkward silence between them. Pisti and Sharrkan exchanged confused glances at one another while Yamuraiha's fear of them judging her grew.

"If you have anything to say spit it out," she said defensively.

"I mean," Pisti began, "I just never expected this from you!" Her expression morphed from a worried confusion to an approving admiration. "You like older men and got a piercing by some person who isn't qualified? And in the end you just did it all for yourself? That's so badass!"

Sharrkan cringed. "Eh, I wouldn't go that far, but it is pretty cool," he coughed, "for you I mean."

"Thanks," she sarcastically replied to him.

"It was a compliment," he said dryly.

"Albeit an underhanded one," Pisti added. "But anyways why did you like your old teacher though?!"

Both Sharrkan and Pisti leaned in closer to hear her answer. Yamuraiha didn't know what to tell them. He was the only guy she ever actually liked, and she didn't even know why did. He was just great, and that was that.

"He was really handsome and nice and smart." Her explanation was vague, but that was the gist of it. A lot of people in her class liked him. It wasn't as if she was the only one who truly wanted attention from him. "And when I was moving, he told me that I could visit his class anytime I wanted," she sighed, "it's a hopeless crush isn't it? To be in love with someone older is hard."

"Oh you don't know half of it sister, right Sharr?" Pisti said as she nudged Sharrkan, who looked as if he wanted her to evaporate in that moment.

"Yeah I wonder what Spartos thinks of that," he smirked as Pisti's smile was immediately wiped off her face. "I would just love to send him a message sometime,"

"Wait!" Yamuraiha lifted up her index finger as if to indicate the imaginary light bulb that went off above her head. "You like Spartos don't you Pisti?" A wide grin appeared on her face.

Pisti crossed her arms. "Me like that mess? Pfft," she laughed to herself. "I mean he's such a loser and not at all like any of the guys- or girls I've been with before and," she paused letting out a deep and defeated breath, "yeah I do, and I can't believe you haven't figured it out yet because it's so obvious to everyone, but him." She buried her face in her hands and leaned down. "Ugh, it's hopeless."

Sharrkan sympathetically patted her on the back. "There, there,"

"Why don't you just tell him you like him?" Yamuraiha suggested.

"Why don't you just tell him you like him?" Pisti said in a mocking voice. "Why don't I just tell the whole world that, that advice is the worst thing ever. Like honestly why didn't you tell your teacher you liked him?"

"Well he was older and it would be awkward because he was my teacher."

"Well this is my best friend!" she exclaimed, "that's like ten times worse!" she groaned. "Love is terrible and I hate it." She forcefully stuffed her face with her fries.

"I still think it's worth a shot to tell him you like him," Yamuraiha said. "I mean I wouldn't want to hold back, if the chance is there you should take it because there might not be another one," she took the final bite of her food. "I mean if Sharrkan hadn't convinced me to try out for the play I wouldn't have gotten one of the parts,"

"But this is different! If I tell him I like him he might not ever want to be my friend again- or worse he'll pity me, and all those years and memories down the drain because I couldn't keep my stupid feelings under control," she stuffed her face with more fries. "I'm such a mess right now!"

Well her mood certainly changed fast, Yamuraiha thought. She wanted to suggest something to her friend, yet she couldn't due to her own lack of experiences. Sharrkan probably wasn't able to say anything either since despite his experiences, she was sure he never had real romantic feelings towards anyone.

"Hey, it's fine. If you choose to tell him or keep your feelings secret, I don't think he'll think any different of you," Yamuraiha held her hand.

"No, you were right before," Pisti straightened her back. "You know what I'm going to text him right now," she took out her bedazzled phone and began typing. "I'm going to tell him that I like him in a romantic way and if he doesn't that's fine, but if he does he should definitely tell me."

Sharrkan reached for Pisti's phone, which she responded to by moving farther away from him and typing more aggressively. "Do you really think this is a good idea I mean-"

"Sent!" she said proudly. "Sent." she said again, except with more doubt and less smiles this time.

"Sent." she whispered with horror on her face.

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Yamuraiha reassured her.

"How do I unsend it?!" Pisti panicked. She shook her blonde locks at the disappointment that was her impulsive nature.

"Has he read it yet?" Sharrkan asked.

"No," she mumbled, "he's at his chess club thing. They're having a mini tournament until 7." She groaned.

"How about we get your mind off of things and go to the piercing shop?" Yamuraiha suggested, her voice concerned. She wanted Pisti's crush to work out for her, she didn't want her advice to be the reason for her misfortune.

"What's the use?" she complained. "It's not like there will be anyone to impress."

"To hell with anyone to impress. If you want to do this do it for yourself!" Yamuraiha slammed her fist on the table. "Seriously if he doesn't feel the same way everything will be fine you know why?"

Pisti shook her head.

"Cause for the short amount of time I've known you the past couple of weeks and the very fuzzy memories I have of you, you have always been fearless,"

"Yeah I am that," Pisti said in a hushed tone.

"And you don't need someone to make you happy! You are reckless and wild and fun, and if he doesn't appreciate that it's his loss,"

"Hey, yeah I am great! And I'm not a coward I'm Pisti!" she exclaimed. "He's lucky that I even like him!"

"Yeah!" Yamuraiha pumped her fists in the air. "Now go get your navel pierced!"

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Sharrkan sat beside Yamuriaha patiently while Pisti was getting her piercing in another room. She was reading one of the magazines left out for them on the coffee table and he looked over her shoulder to catch a glimpse at the content.

"If you want to read it that badly you can have it," she rolled up the magazine and put it up to his face. "Here, read all about the amazing solutions to cramps," she teased.

"No thanks I'm not lactose intolerant."

"It's not those kind of-" she sighed. "Sure, okay." She put the magazine down. His disgruntled expression made her worried. "You've been really quiet, what's up?" She poked his arm. "What's going on in that brain of yours?"

He swatted off her fingers. "Nothing. I'm simply waiting in silence while my best friend gets a needle through the skin on her stomach, no biggie."

"That's what you're concerned about?" She laughed. "It's safe, don't worry,"

"Not just that," he paused, "what if Spartos doesn't feel the same way? I know you hyped her up to make her feel better, but I know Pisti well. And I know that she doesn't always show what she feels and that she's just like me and makes stupid jokes to cope."

"You either move on and get stronger or you freeze and wallow in your sadness. And Pisti isn't the type to wallow. I don't know her as well as you do, but I know that much,"

He scoffed. "You're right," he admitted.

"Hey," Yamuraiha took his hand. "It'll be okay." She smiled at him reassuringly. "I think it'll take a little more than a boy to get her down." She leaned in closer to him and pushed the hair out of his eyes with her free hand. "And you really need a haircut," she joked.

He took the hand that was free and pulled it down. "Yeah I do. I'm getting it cut by next week. How about you, you even going to do something with yours?"

"Maybe," she chirped. "I want to grow it out long, real long." She moved her hands out from his. "Do you like long hair?"

"I uh-" his voice became strained. "I mean it's okay. Hair doesn't make the person. Why would you ask me anyways?"

"Aren't we friends?" She scooted forward on her chair. "This may come as a surprise to you, but I value your opinion."

She valued his opinion? Nice information for him to hear, since he had always valued hers.

"Thanks and same goes for me," he smiled.

She wasn't looking at him, she was back to shuffling through a magazine. The neon white light in the waiting room illuminated her cheekbones and nose. She was pretty, he couldn't keep that fact away from his thoughts. And despite being a total pain sometimes she was kind and level headed when he wasn't.

He should follow in Pisti's footsteps. She confessed to a long time crush and even longer time best friend. That was brave. Especially since Spartos was impossible to read and oblivious towards people's affection. He had to ask her out- nothing big, but just the two of them hanging out alone would confirm his feelings once and for all.

"Yamuraiha I was wondering if," he paused when he saw the headphones in her ears and her eyes glued to pages. He took her earphone out. "I have to tell you something," he said seriously.

She took the other headphone out of her ear and turned to him. "What's on your mind?"

"I was thinking that maybe, we could- uhm, maybe we could uhh- go ou-"

"Guys I'm done with my piercing!" Pisti burst out with her shirt lifted up. "Take a look at this baby!" She pointed to the gold stud on her navel. "Pretty neat!"

Sharrkan sighed. Pisti flying out while he was in the middle of asking Yamuraiha out was a sign that he shouldn't even try. After all, she was older and so much different than he.

New chapter. Thanks for all the reviews and follows lately. I'm still away on 'vacation' but I wrote this in about two hours while I had nothing to do so here you have it! Please review if you liked it!


	13. One Day

Pisti and Spartos walked into the school hand in hand. They were greeted with approving looks and gazes of surprise. Both of them red faced and trying their hardest to keep their composure, yet failing at it, as their faces were tight with embarrassed smiles.

"Well would you look at that," Sharrkan said coolly, his hands in his pockets. "I can't say I didn't see that coming."

"Oh please," Yamuraiha elbowed him. "You were worried more than me- and that's saying something."

Sharrkan smiled. "Well, you got me there," he nudged her back. "Oh- they're waving at us," he waved at Spartos and Pisti. "So, is there anything you want to tell us Spartos?"

Spartos became the same shade of Crimson as his hair. "Well- uh," he stammered. "I mean, I never knew Pisti liked me and uhm, 'this' just happened," he lifted their intertwined hands for show as he said 'this'.

Pisti was silenced. She hid her mouth behind her oversized light pink sweater sleeves. Her smile could be seen through her eyes.

"Well, congratulations you guys are very cute together," Yamuraiha said. She patted Pisti on her shoulder.

Pisti lowered her hand away from her mouth. "Thank you," she mouthed to Yamuraiha.

It was unlike her to be shy, it suited her perfectly. Just a tiny model as she stood meekly, concealing her giggles and twirling her ankles every now and then. She really was one of the cutest people Yamuraiha had ever seen and her different behaviours highlighted that.

Yamuraiha winked at her.

"Well me and Pisti are going up to class together," Spartos said. "Thanks for your approval guys, we haven't told Sinbad or Jafar yet."

"Oh, I'm sure they'll be on board,"

"We know they'll be on board Sharr, what we don't know is that whether they'll throw a big party to celebrate this," Spartos said. "Anyways, let's all have a dinner this Friday at Priscilla's, we can get together."

"Sounds great to me," Sharrkan replied.

"Me too," Yamuraiha answered. "As long as it's after 4, that's when practise ends."

"Great, see you there," Spartos said.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

School went by much faster than it did yesterday for Yamuraiha. She had gotten into the routine of going to her classes and only got lost on the way to biology, which considering that this was second day was an achievement all on its own.

She had gotten out of her comfort zone and attempted to talk to the others in her class. It was easier to do than what she had imagined.

She had even met the boy that was cast as Hamlet in her biology class. He was one of those cute nerdy guys that a lot of girls gushed over. He was red haired and short for a boy, but there was a sort of gentle essence around him that made her feel comfortable around him instantly. Yet, he made her feel too comfortable. Maybe, it was because he was boring.

Now, of course Yamuraiha knew she wasn't one to judge as just a few months before she would have had the same flat personality and ask the new person in the class questions such as 'oh was it nice where you lived," and 'I do hope the weather gets better'. These were basic conversation killers. A code to tell the other person that they literally can't find anything important to talk about or that they're too exhausted to hold an engaging conversation.

Nonetheless, he was kind. And that outshined his bland personality.

Yamuraiha anticipated drama class. She found herself becoming excited at the thought of sitting next to her friends. Which was something that she had never experienced before as her old friends weren't that close with her to begin with.

She had fast walked all the way downstairs to the drama room and was pleased to find out she had gotten there before Sharrkan had.

"How was your day?" Yamuraiha chimed as she sat down next to Pisti.

"How do you think?"

"Fantastic."

Pisti nodded. "I want to thank you for doing this for me, really Yamuraiha,"

"Anytime,"

"You know when I first met you again I didn't know whether or not we'd get along,"

"Why is that?"

"Well," Pisti paused and readjusted herself in her seat, "I've never had many girl friends before. A lot of girls don't seem to like me and it's hard for me to make friends- what I'm saying is that I'm glad you're the way you are."

"Truthfully speaking, we didn't really have the best first meeting though, I was really sour that night." Yamuraiha referred to the midnight dinner run.

"Ah it's fine," Pisti shook her comment off.

"But I still feel bad though, after all you were the one that convinced everyone to come right?"

She gave her a blank stare. "No that was Sharrkan. He really wanted you to meet everyone."

Yamuraiha blinked. She didn't believe the words that had just left Pisti's mouth. He set everything up- well, it was obvious he was involved in some of the planning. She assumed that he at least told the others about her, but she didn't think that he himself would go out of his way.

"Wow," she said in a hushed tone, "that was really nice of him," Yamuraiha stared up at the ceiling. She felt guilty for not giving him enough credit time and time again. So much for becoming more open, she thought.

Sharrkan walked into the room confidently a second after the bell rung, almost boasting that he made it.

"I thought you were going to get another late slip, I guess you did keep your promise of coming in on time." Pisti said with a cheeky smile.

"What can I say I don't want another phone call home."

"Eh, but you were on time yesterday," Yamuraiha tapped him on the arm as he sat down next to her.

Sharrkan shrugged. "I'm not always late to the same class, I try to mix it up a bit so the same teacher doesn't keep making complaints."

"How innovative," Yamuraiha rolled her eyes.

"You should try it sometime." he suggested.

"Hey when it's warmer we should skip school to go to an amusement park," Pisti added.

"Why can't we go on a regular weekend day?" Yamuraiha questioned.

"Duh, too many people." she answered her.

"That is a good idea," Sharrkan stroked his chin. "But wait would this be before or after spring break?"

"Definitely after." Pisti sighed. "We need something to make us happy after we leave the paradise that is Sinbad and Jafar's summer villa and go back to school." She turned to Yamuraiha, "have you asked your dad if you could come with us yet? It'll be two weeks, and about a day to drive there and back. We'll be driving in Sinbad's R.V., trust me the drive there is great-"

Yamuraiha bit her lip. "I mean, I want to ask him, but he's usually super strict on this kind of stuff,"

"Jafar will be there supervising us, so will Sinbad." Sharrkan stated.

"Yeah, but-"

Yamuraiha was cut off by Mr Amon who yelled across the room: "is everyone finished with their conversations or will this just be another sharing period that's continued by an essay of all the important topics which you have discussed today?!"

The class became silent. He seemed to be angrier than yesterday, Yamuraiha thought. Though it was to be expected as he was probably trying to get their attention for the past five minutes.

The rest of class went by regularly. They continued doing tableaus and the teacher went on to talk about how to create more expressive gestures with their hands- an important skill for anyone going into theatre.

After class ended Yamuraiha and Sharrkan made their way to the theatre classroom. Which was a larger classroom with seats lined up much like in a real theatre. The drama class would sometimes go there to practise if there was something that required more space than a regular classroom.

Today's 'practise' had been cut short due to Miss Vinea spraining her ankle whilst explaining the importance of knowing your surroundings on stage.

They didn't have a chance to introduce themselves to one another, yet while Miss Vinea was waiting on her husband to take her to the doctors she told them to pick up the script and be on their way.

"You know you could always lie to your dad and tell him you're going to a space camp," he said nonchalantly.

"Or I could tell him the truth,"

"You really don't want to go do you?" His face screwed into irritation.

"What?" She pretended to be caught off guard. Really she did want to go, yet there was something holding her back. It was the same something that held her back from many things in life. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she said in a ditzy voice.

He let out an exasperated sigh. "You can lie to me, but really lying to yourself is just sad."

"Fine, so I'm scared, it's natural to be afraid of new things." She crossed her arms. "I'm sure you're scared of things too."

"I'll at least try," he smirked. "If you're going to be afraid your whole life then what're you going to have to show by the end of it- a boring ass job with a boring ass relationship and boring ass children who whine everyday about how boring you are. If you don't take risks you're going to regret it later on. You won't ever grow."

"Wow thanks for the motivational speech, captain- uhm, uh- Motivational?" she paused, "yeah thanks for that captain Motivational," she said, more confidence in her tone this time.

He laughed. "Seriously, you're horrid at insults. It's like a five year old is conversing with me."

"Then why don't you teach me some?" she asked, her tone uncharacteristically sweet.

"Only if you pay me ten dollars," he opened up his palm encouraging her to throw money into it. "Come on, for the low price I asked you get my expert insulting techniques."

She slapped her hand into his open palm. "How about a high five instead?" She giggled at her joke. "I'll make it two high fives to match your price."

"I really can't win with you can I?"

"Maybe one day you will."

 **Finally time for the cool parts to take place. Focusing on Yamuraiha and Sharrkan's relationship fully more in the next few chapters. Cool stuff will happen. Also trying to develop Yamuraiha more, I find it difficult to write her, but nonetheless I try.** Review what you want to see or not


	14. A Reason to Move On

Priscilla set down a large plate of fries on their table. The group was greeted with a pleasant smell of their favorite, crispy Friday night treat. They all couldn't help but squeal a bit in excitement, which was a bit out of the ordinary considering it was just fries and they were all well over the age of twelve.

"How much do I owe you?" Sinbad pulled out his leather wallet, almost bragging about how he was more than willing to pay.

Priscilla made a gesture declining his offer. "It's on the house, now that my favorite couple is together." She cast the spotlight on Spartos and Pisti who sat side by side one another blushing.

"It's thanks to Yamuraiha apparently," Drakon said. He was a tall and polite man that Yamuraiha liked the minute she met him, well met him again. "Pisti and Sharrkan told me she was the mastermind behind all of it."

"Ah I knew if I ever got the chance to meet her again she'd be a great girl," Hinahoho patted Yamuraiha on the back. She had also met him again for the second time and he left just as good an impression as Drakon did.

Priscilla smiled at Yamuraiha. "Why aren't you just fantastic?" She let out a gentle laugh. "I'll be back in a moment, other tables to serve." And she strutted towards the other tables.

Yamuraiha watched her leave. Now was her chance to do something good for Sharrkan. She was sure that if she could get to talk to her after she would finish working she could also convince her to go out with Sharrkan.

"How is the play coming along?" Jafar asked as he pushed away a fry that Sinbad kept poking his face with.

"Okay I guess, I don't have many scenes, but I have to be there almost everyday for practise after school," Sharrkan said with a mouthful of fries, "at least I'm not a tree like Masrur."

Masrur grunted.

"Well, it's still an important part," Jafar reassured him, "we're going no matter what part you have, right Sinbad?" Jafar turned to face his blank face. "That's what we're doing right, because we have to support our friends." His face turned dark and that must have been enough to scare Sinbad into nodding.

"Well Yamuraiha got the lead," Pisti said.

Yamuraiha scratched the back of her neck. "I wouldn't really call Ophelia the lead- but-"

"You have the third most amount of lines in the play," Sharrkan said flatly, "just accept the fact that you're good at something and be on your way." He threw a fry in his mouth.

"You do tend to undermine yourself," Spartos added, causing him to receive a sharp nudge and glare from Pisti.

"No, they're right. I have to work on being less negative," she said lightly. It was true that she had always been brushing off compliments and achievements for most subjects. She thought that it was her being humble, but really it wasn't. Whenever someone mentioned her looks or a talent that didn't involve school she would more than likely reject it.

"That's more like it!" Sinbad beamed.

"Huh I didn't expect you to listen to me," Sharrkan sipped his water. He was acting strangely the past few days according to Yamuraiha. It was almost as if he was afraid to say something to her.

"What can I say I enjoy growing as a person," she boasted.

Sharrkan winced. "Ugh, just that one sentence gave me such bad second hand embarrassment I felt my heart burn."

Yamuraiha laughed. This was the Sharrkan she liked. Actually, she liked every side that she's seen to him so far. He was helpful, more so than anyone else in school, even if he would mock her while helping he would find a way to motivate her. Kind- she loved that trait about him. Sure, he wasn't enveloped in the same gentle kindness as Spartos was and most of his good deeds were accompanied by him rolling his eyes and judging her- but it was genuine. Everything about him was genuine. He spoke freely, he laughed freely, and moved as he pleased.

"So are you going to stare at me or make a good comeback?" He had interrupted her thoughts.

"Nope, no comeback this time." She couldn't believe the words that left her mouth. Usually she would at least try to throw a half serious insult at him. She did find herself staring at him the past few days too. It was hard not to- something about him caught her eye and it was so natural for her to find him.

"Can we focus on the importance that is spring break?" Pisti slammed down a large map onto the table. "I thought we could have a bit of guidance on the road."

"There's this thing called GPS," Sharrkan poked fun at her useless map.

"You'll appreciate the map if we get lost and your GPS won't be able to tell you where the nearest bank is,"

"Why would we need a bank?" Jafar asked, the exasperation in his voice only got more intense with every word.

"Because we need money because we got lost,"

"Yeah, but wouldn't it be smarter to find a gas station?" Yamuraiha argued. "And why would we even need a bank in the first place if we already have our money beforehand?"

Pisti crossed her arms and pouted. "You guys never listen." She rolled up her map quickly. "I feel very unappreciated in this group."

"Oh come on, do you even know how to read a map?" Spartos asked her.

Pisti opened her mouth to say something then closed it again.

"Exactly. Which is why we'll just be using GPS and our phones." Jafar said. He straightened his back and pulled out his phone and a notebook. "I have everything under control. This notebook has information on nearby stores if we ever need something." He flipped through the color coded pages proudly. "And on my phone I have three different routes planned out in case one doesn't work, I'll also be putting these routes onto the R.V.'s system so that it'll be easier to follow for the driver."

"Which- aren't you the driver?" Sharrkan asked.

"Yes, but I like to make my job easier." He tucked away his phone and notebook. "Is everyone able to go? It'll be in about month from now." He turned to Yamuraiha, "you don't need to bring a lot of stuff, Sinbad's place down on the west coast has everything. You'll need about a hundred dollars for souvenirs, but me and Sinbad will provide everything else- but clothing." He glared at Sharrkan who had a guilty expression on.

"I still have to ask my dad-"

"That's fine, just tell us ahead of time okay?" Sinbad added. "Is anyone else on the fence about going or-?"

"Sorry, I can't make it. I promised the kids to go on our own road trip," Hinahoho said.

"I can't come either, business trip up north." Drakon spoke up and he stood up. "It's eight already, I have to get back home, I promised my wife I would be home early today." He straightened out the cuffs on his blazer and waved to them. "Sorry to be so abrupt, I was supposed to be home ten minutes ago."

"It's fine, we understand!" Pisti reassured him. "Have fun at home!" She waved goodbye to him along with everyone else.

The next hour was filled with their conversations on the trip. They told stories about their past experiences involving spring break (a lot of which were technically either immoral or illegal) and tried to catch Yamuraiha up on the past years that she had missed. Truthfully, she did feel left out, she really wished that she could have gone back and have been there.

"It's fortune cookie time!" Priscilla dashed in with a tray of cookies and placed them on the table for everyone to take. "Did any of yours come true from the last time?"

The group grumbled amongst one another, trying to remember what their fortune even said. Their confused looks turned to Pisti as she gasped so loudly that even the other customers to face them.

"LOVE WILL COME TO YOU IN THE FORM OF RED!" she exclaimed as she grabbed Spartos' hair. "RED! LOOK IT'S TRUE! PRIS YOU DID IT AGAIN!" she squealed in excitement.

Priscilla nodded. "Well, would you look at that." She put her hands on her hips and smiled.

Spartos didn't seem as excited as she, it was understandable because his locks were being pulled from his scalp by a bouncing Pisti.

"Oh I think mine came true also," Jafar said. "It was something about being highly disappointed in a man with too much power." He gave a spiteful side eyed glance towards Sinbad who seemed to be perplexed on who Jafar might be talking about.

"Mine didn't come true," Yamuraiha admitted. The cryptic 'stay away from water' didn't seem to happen yet. Maybe it was related to her being Ophelia in the play and drowning.

"It will eventually, I don't know why, but they always do," Sharrkan added.

"I think it's because they're so general they could fit any situation." Priscilla said. "But it's fun to pretend it's magic no? It's like real life foreshadowing." She stretched out her hand and yawned. "Anyways guys, we're closing up in about ten. I can't let you stay let today cause I have to stay up and clean tonight."

Now was Yamuraiha's chance. She had to ask her before it was too late. "Hey, Priscilla," she said trying to be casual, "can I talk you after work- it's about, uhm-" Yamuraiha tried to think of an excuse because she couldn't tell her that she wanted to play Cupid for her and Sharrkan. "How you make pancakes."

Priscilla raised an eyebrow. "I honestly googled it. My dad gave me a recipe but I don't play by the rules," she paused noticing the desperation in Yamuraiha's face. "But I guess I can stay a bit after work and teach you some stuff."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

After everyone left, Yamuraiha patiently waited for Priscilla to come out of the kitchen. She couldn't believe how nervous she was getting. It wasn't the same type of excited nervousness she had experienced with Pisti when she was trying to push her to ask out Spartos. She felt sick to her stomach as if Priscilla would say something about her and Sharrkan that would change their friendship.

"Sorry I took so long cleaning the kitchen, now what did you want to ask me about? And I know for a fact that it's not pancakes." Priscilla came out with a hand on her hip and tray of tea in the other one. "This is on me." She set the tray down.

"Thanks," Yamuraiha took a cup and brought it up to her lips. "I wanted to ask you about Sharrkan," she said in a strained voice.

Priscilla stopped stirring her tea as soon his name left Yamuraiha's lips. "Yes?"

"You like him right?" Yamuraiha knew her voice cracked.

"Yes."

There was a sudden pain in her heart. "Oh," she said quietly. It was hard for her to gather a response. Didn't she want Priscilla to like Sharrkan? Wasn't she excited about bringing them together?

"You like him don't you?" Priscilla's kind eyes turned into shifty ones.

A snap. That's what she swore she heard in her heart. The same sound of a dry twig snapping. Priscilla had said the very words that she didn't even think she would ever hear in her life regarding him. And what was worse that she did.

"Uhm,"

Priscilla shook her head. "Ah, I knew it," she said slowly. "I knew it," she whispered again. She wiped away from the corner of her left eye. Yamuraiha was uncertain as to what she should have thought. Priscilla was visibly upset and Yamuraiha was doing the opposite of what she wanted to do.

"I didn't come here to talk to you about liking him. I came here because I wanted to bring you two together!" Yamuraiha exclaimed. "I thought that you guys would-"

"Oh give it a rest." Priscilla interrupted her. "I know that you really like him, and I'm pretty sure you do too, but you're the type that'll deny it." She took a slow sip of her tea.

Yamuraiha felt the back of her neck become hot. Priscilla was a completely different person than she was before. "Maybe I do like him, but you guys suit each other much better-"

Priscilla set down her cup. "Yes, well I'm not going to chase after someone who I know is not interested." Her finger traced the cup. "I already told him I liked him. And I really like him." She sighed. "But it's fine, really and if you go after him I promise I won't do anything to try and ruin your chances."

"Yeah, but I don't want to go after someone if my friend likes them," Yamuraiha admitted. She felt like crying. It was overwhelming for her to argue against her feelings, but she had to. And besides it was obvious that Priscilla had liked him for much longer that had to count for something.

"If you're going to base your whole life around not hurting people you'll get nowhere." She took another sip of tea, except this time her hands were shaking as she drank. "I'm old enough not to throw a tantrum and look at me-" her voice cracked and her face flushed. "I don't want the person I like to not be with someone else just because I like him," her voice became even more strained as a tear streamed down her face. "I'm not that bitter."

"You're clearly not happy about this, I shouldn't have said anything I'm so sorr-"

"No-no, stop." She wiped away the tears off her cheeks. "It's fine, Yamuraiha honestly. I can handle it."

"Yeah but-"

"No buts- okay? This is good. You're giving me a reason to move on." She took Yamuraiha's hand. "I'll root for you- honestly. I know from experience how hard it is when other girls hate you just for the feelings that you can't control." She smiled again, except this time Yamuraiha knew without a doubt it was genuine.

And just like that Priscilla's blunt and cold attitude melted into something that is only witnessed through books and movies.

"Come on," she said. "I'll drive you home."

And Yamuraiha nodded.

A longer chapter. I know this may seem sudden, liking someone is sudden though so I thought it fit especially in her case. Also I wanted two girls to be friends despite liking someone. Its too often that two girls are against each other just because of someone else. I wanted to show that she would be bitter, but still act maturely. I finished this because the reviews kept me going. Everytime I want to quit your reviews help me


	15. Of Course

"I'm back!" Yamuraiha's voice echoed through her house as she stepped into the foyer. "Sorry I was out, but I already had dinner so you don't have to worry about making me any," she took off her shoes and hung her coat. "Dad?"

She walked into the kitchen expecting to see him tapping his foot and shaking his head. Much to her surprise, he wasn't there at all. A note sat nicely on the counter, begging to be read.

'Out until tomorrow. Sorry for the short notice, work. Dinner is in the fridge.'

Yamuraiha let out a sigh of relief as she read that. He wasn't home yet to lecture her, but the note did worry her, perhaps even more than it should have.

She checked the windows and doors to see if there had been an intruder. No sign of anyone yet. She almost laughed at her paranoia. Almost.

But it wouldn't hurt to call him to see what he was up to. Or at least leave a message. She scrambled inside her bag to find a phone. She dialed his number as she got another incoming call.

Sharrkan.

She took a deep breath before she could finally answer. Now probably wouldn't be the best time to talk to him- after realizing she liked him and all.

"And why may I have the pleasure of speaking to you so late?" she noticed the sarcastic snark in her voice a bit too late. Ah, it was a force of habit.

"Did you ask you dad about spring break yet?"

Oh right. That. She would have to spend a lot of time with her friends- and him. Which really was a blessing, and she should have been more grateful. But again she was scared.

"No, actually he's at work right now," she said with relief. At least she didn't have to lie.

"Are you lying to me?"

Yamuraiha laughed, "nope, I really wish I was because I don't like being home alone in the middle of nowhere,"

"I can message Pisti, I think she has extra room at her place,"

"It's fine,"

"Well, if anything you can always call me, okay?"

"Okay," Yamuraiha realized that this was the moment she should swallow her pride, "Sharrkan, thanks for looking out for me,"

"It's not a big deal,"

"I mean it."

"I just called to finalize plans I didn't say I was going to pay for your eyebrows to be threaded, which you should really do by the way,"

Yamuraiha felt her brow with her free hand, it did seem a bit unkempt. "Yeah maybe I should- wait how do you even know what that is?"

"I drove a girl I knew out to get her eyebrows threaded, last year- kind of a neat process if you ask me."

"Well, as much as I would love to talk to you all night about getting my hairs torn off with a tiny thread, I do have to go to bed, goodnight Sharrkan,"

"Yeah you too,"

-x-x-x-x-x-

Yamuraiha woke up the next morning with her father sitting at the edge of her bed. He seemed as if he was about to shed a tear while he stared out.

"Dad?"

His expression changed immediately.

"Sorry I just came home and didn't want to wake you," he said with a smile. He had dark under eye circles and stacks on wrinkles which didn't appear to be on his face before. "How do you feel about me driving you to school today?"

"Not that I want to pass up a drive, but why? Don't you have work?"

Matal's faint smile faded. "I do, but I thought it would be good to have a little time off to spend with you." He let out a sigh, "I just thought that next year I might not be able to see you- with university and all."

"Dad," she said softly, "it really is alright, I mean just because I might be going away doesn't mean that I won't get to see you," she reassured him. "You make it sound like I'm going away forever,"

Matal nodded. "You're right, I'm being irrational," his smile reappeared. "But what do you say? You want a drive or not?"

"Obviously I do,"

It was going to be the perfect moment for her to ask him about spring break. Her father's behaviour seemed different, but what else was new? Ever since they moved he was acting more and more distant all while trying to get closer to her.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"So what's new with you?" he asked her as he started the car; it didn't make as much noise as it usually did.

"Well," Yamuraiha began, "I have a lot of friends here, surprisingly,"

"What are they like?"

Yamuraiha wanted to say 'oh they're just normal friends,' so desperately. Describing her friends was going to be difficult, not because they themselves were all colorful personalities with sass and bite, but because she didn't know how to make them appealing to her father without lying. So she did her best.

"There's Pisti who is younger than me, but she has the confidence of a thirty year old business woman who owns every large restaurant chain,"

Highlighting Pisti's confidence was better than highlighting her promiscuity and lust for rebellion- not that it was necessarily a bad thing in the first place; but because it was something her father would never really accept.

"How descriptive of you,"

"Thank you, and then there's her boyfriend Spartos who is the complete opposite- in both looks and personality. He works at the pharmacy that you sent me to!"

Her father winced. "Right the pharmacy…"

"And then there's also Sinbad, Jafar, and Hinahoho- who are all extremely successful and they all own large plots of land here,"

"How do you even know these people?"

"I was friends with them before apparently! Remember before we moved?"

That was the truth. She knew her father would be more likely to accept people that she had known previously.

"Oh right," he remembered. "I always thought you had a strange group of friends."

"And then there's also Sharrkan-" Yamuraiha cut herself off. She didn't know what to say without making it obvious that she really liked him. On top of that how would she even describe him if she didn't?

"What're they like?"

"Well he's," she paused, "he is a really nice person actually, but he has a lot of flaws- and I mean a lot- like for example he says unnecessary things he doesn't mean but then goes out of his way to do something good for others without any promises of a reward. And I don't like it when he calls me out on my flaws without mercy, I mean who does that? And not only that, he also had the nerve to somehow get me wound up in a school play- a play! The idea of presenting my work in front of others gives me a rash, but imagine me in front of a larger crowd-"

Matal laughed to himself. "He sounds like a handful. But it's good to have friends that bring you out of your comfort zone. You sound like you trust him a lot."

"Trust him?" Yamuraiha questioned. "I mean I guess I trust everyone of my friends now that you mention it."

"That's good, I know you choose good people to be around."

"Okay, who are you and what have you done to my father?" Yamuraiha asked. "It's so unlike you to be this lenient."

"What do you mean?"

"Well for one before you didn't like me being friends with girls that weren't academics, let alone let me hang out with boys. Now you're all calm even though I told you I have so many male friends and most of them are older than me-"

He sighed. "I guess I didn't want your memories of me to be uptight, it does worry me a little, but I think over the past few months I have changed and I learned to trust you more,"

"You make it sound like I'm dying,"

"No you're not the one dying," he paused. "Anyways, break is in a few weeks you excited?"

"Oh yeah, about that…" Yamuraiha's face turned red as it always did before she was going to ask a crucial question. "How do you feel about me-" she paused looking for a lie to tell him. Yes he was more relaxed than before, but that still didn't mean he would let her go for two weeks to a stranger's villa. "Going to a science camp with Pisti!" Oh boy, that was a lie he was sure to see through.

"Where is it?" he asked.

"I don't quite know, but Pisti's older sister works there and it's really great and she can drive me and-"

"Why are you acting like I'm about to say no? Yamuraiha your voice is jittery," he laughed. "You can go, I don't know why you're being so nervous."

Ah he bought it! Great. Yamuraiha smiled. "Really!?" She coughed, "I mean really?" she repeated herself this time squinting her eyes more.

"I don't see why not, you're old enough, you've shown me in many situations how responsible you are- no tattoos, no piercings, no attitude problem...for the most part," he laughed when he noticed her crossed arms and pout. "What I'm saying is, I think I need to learn to let you go a little. This is a good start."

Her mouth hung open for a second. This was her dad?! Her uptight, no nonsense, be back before ten, eat your vegetables, and studying is more important than friends dad?! "Yeah, this is an awesome start! Oh thank you! I can't wait to tell her the good news!" Yamuraiha wanted to hug him, but she didn't- his eyes were now focused on the road again. "Hey dad, after spring break we can do something too right?" she asked him feeling guilty.

He finally turned his head to her when he stopped at a red light. "Of course we can," he said quietly. "Of course we can."

Writer: guess who's back, back again! Haha I stopped writing for a while a lot of stuff happened and I'm not that interested in magi anymore, but I still wanted to finish this story. Sorry if my writing here is rusty. . Thank you for any reviews in advance! I LOVE TO READ THEM!


	16. Lunch

As the morning classes went by, Yamuraiha only had her mind focused on the fact that she was going to spend spring break with her friends.

At this point, she knew she was over thinking her situation because she had imagined every conceivable outcome of the break.

She envisioned what jokes she would tell, what dresses she would wear, how she would react to the weather, what time she would go to bed- and the trouble she would definitely be getting into because of her friends.

She had imagined herself looking her best and all of her friends amazed at the fact that she could even look like that- she didn't necessarily know what 'that' was, but hopefully it would be good.

She thought of what it would be like if she had confessed her feelings to Sharrkan. Thinking of being rejected twenty different ways was outweighed by the one 'yes' she could receive. That lead her to her next thought; what would she do if and after he liked her back?

Would she have to kiss him? Hug him? Maybe give him a stern handshake and have things go back to, well, the way they are now? If he was to hold her hand would she become so nervous that her hand would be a puddle of sweat that he would run from?

And how would everyone else react? Would they approve or grumble in secrecy as they wished that they stayed friends?

She shook off the idiocies her mind had constructed by lunch time. If she allowed herself to think about it any further she would absolutely find a way to cancel the plans before they even started.

She made her way down to the table where her friends sat. They all looked up awaiting the same thing.

"I'm going," she said nonchalantly. "So you don't have to make those eyes at me," she sat down next to Pisti.

They had a delayed reaction to her statement, but she was soon met with smiles and a few light claps.

"Oh yay!" Pisti squealed as she hugged her. "I'm so glad I'm not the only girl there!"

"How did you manage to convince Matal to let you go?" Sharrkan asked.

"I lied," she said trying to seem cool as she flipped her hair back.

Spartos sighed, "I knew he was going to be a bad influence on you,"

Sharrkan replied with an eye roll. "Anyways how did you lie?" He leaned forward, interested to see how she- Yamuraiha, the queen of indiscretion and awkwardness could have pulled off a story that would fool Matal.

"Told her I was going to a camp with Pisti- and that her sister is driving us," she gleamed.

"You're not really supposed to give that much detail, what if he sees her at the store?" Masrur spoke up.

"Ah Masrur, you finally talked- it's as if someone was writing about you and they forgot to give you any dialogue," Sharrkan put his arm around his seemingly annoyed friend. "I can't wait for you to say something else again in a few days,"

"Masrur is right though, I don't think my sister is going anywhere really," Pisti said.

"Well does he even know what she looks like? Has he seen her before- I'm not trying to be cocky, I genuinely don't know if he has," Yamuraiha added. Her bad memory was a burden at this point, it made her feel out of the loop and stupid.

"Well, I'm sure he's seen her, but that doesn't mean he remembers her, besides we were young then. Pisti's sister changed a lot." Sharrkan put her mind at ease.

"Yeah she's gotten worse over time," Pisti scoffed. Her crossed arms and narrowed eyes told Yamuraiha that maybe they didn't get along too well- that or her arms got cold and she was trying to read far away text.

"You did attack her with a staple gun, P," Spartos said, immediately regretting his words as she shot a look of disgust at him.

"That's new," Sharrkan laughed.

"Well she kept making fun of you for no reason," she explained. "I mean am I to just sit there and take it?"

"It's times like these I know why we're best friends," Sharrkan added. "I would have probably done the same thing."

"See? My behaviour is perfectly rational. I'm jealous of the people who are only children." She crumpled up the foil paper which held her sandwich to showcase how angry she was.

"I would love to have an older brother," Yamuraiha admitted. "Someone that I could just talk to and introduce me to his friends-" she wistfully gazed up with her hands folded.

"Clearly you don't know anything about older brothers, because let me tell you- they suck." Sharrkan grumbled.

"It would be good to experience having someone close like that though," she sighed. "I never even met my real parents so I don't know if I have siblings or not," she said sadly.

"I guess you can say we're your siblings now in a weird way though!" Pisti said.

There was a silence between them all, realizing that they were each other's family now. That they were not their siblings or parents and that they were not alone. Each of them had an emptiness about them and a lingering fear of becoming similar to the people that they were related to.

"I'm glad that I chose you guys then," Spartos beamed. "This is corny to say, but I think you're all good friends- except for Sharrkan," he teased to which Sharrkan responded by flipping him off. "Oh come on," Spartos laughed.

"Spartos you can't let him disrespect you like that," Yamuraiha grinned.

"Yeah, I should duel you one on one," he turned to Sharrkan. "Let me finish my juice box and crackers and we can awkwardly circle around each other for five minutes before calling it quits?"

"As long as I can bring a staple gun," he smirked.

Yamuraiha was glad that her friends were happy idiots. She was thankful that she was on her way to becoming a happy idiot too. If she wasn't, she would have probably been writing angsty poems in a journal somewhere, which wouldn't have been bad- but seeing two guys insulting each other was much better.

"Okay so plans for this spring break! What should we bring?" Pisti slammed her hands on the table to catch their attention. She hastily whipped out a pen and some paper.

"A joint? I don't know?" Sharrkan shrugged. "We'll get to it when we get to it?"

"You said you were quitting," Masrur said.

"And I also said you were only going to have one line of dialogue; you have exceeded the amount that you are allowed to say, good sir,"

Yamuraiha looked at him with disappointment. "I hate the smell of weed," she said.

"Ah, are you going to lecture me now? Come tell me something I haven't heard before,"

"I don't really care you're just going to smell bad," she said with a laugh at the end. "Also I'm not even thinking of a lecture from myself, I'm thinking about Jafar. I'm sure he'll metaphorically- no, literally, try to end you with a staple gun."

His face dropped from a snark to a wince. He contemplated for a moment on what would actually happen. And Yamuraiha was right, despite Jafar not being the strongest guy he would definitely end him in under a minute if he found out. "Maybe scratch that idea," he coughed.

"Yeah, keeping your life is the much better option," Spartos added.

"Break is a few weeks, I'm fine with packing, so you don't need to worry about it," Yamuraiha said with a smile, "right now I'm more worried about the play," she shot a look at Sharrkan who seemed to be unaware.

"What?"

"Are you coming to practise today?"

"I was thinking of going home,"

"Yeah, but today we're getting more costumes fitted. You know if you miss more than three practices without reason you're going to be removed,"

Sharrkan took a deep breath. "Oh my God, why do you make every aspect of my life so difficult?" he muttered to himself as he rubbed his temples.

"Don't pretend it hasn't been that way since you were a kid," Pisti chirped.

"Is it bully Sharrkan day?" Sharrkan said, annoyed.

"That's everyday," Spartos laughed.

"I'm going to shave your head during the break," he said holding back his own laughter.

Writer: Last kind of silly chapter. Anyways thank you so much for the reviews! I think they're so great, and I'm sorry for the slow burn trope? I'll try to make the next few chapters go a bit quicker? What do you think?


	17. Costume Kisses

Ophelia was a graceful and beautiful character, but Yamuraiha was unsure why she had felt so ugly in her costume. It wasn't that it was a bad costume, it was just that it probably weighed three times more than her and irritated not only her skin, but somehow her bones. It was an aqua green colored dress with roses the same color as salmon sewed onto the sleeves. She was sure that on anyone else but her it would have looked nice.

The more she thought about her look the more she realized it was the wig that she disliked and not the actual costume on herself. It was a hideous orange wig that resembled limp pasta noodles more than any human's hair.

"I see that they let you dress in the 80's clown lifestyle that you so desperately desired," Sharrkan snickered from across the room. "That wig looks like ass hair more than anything else."

"I would whine, but seeing you as a tree really eases your comments." Yamuraiha was referring to his ridiculous green face paint and brown pants and shirt. "Weren't you supposed to be dying man number 4? Why the switch?"

"Actually, I'm such a versatile and talented actor I got cast for three parts: grave digger, tree, and dying man number 4." he boasted. Grave digger and dying man number 4 had the same makeup, and surprisingly the role of tree was the hardest due to it being in the scenes the longest.

"Also I'm going to ask not to wear the wig and just have my actual hair instead so you don't have to make fun of me wearing this- well," she poked the cheap wig with a pen, "I guess nest of broken dreams,"

"Yeah, your natural hair is much better," his fingers found a loose strand of blue hair underneath the wig.

"Did you just compliment me?" She felt her heart grow three sizes. "Huuuuh? Say that again I don't think I heard properly," she flicked the cardboard leaves on his head.

He took her hand away from the leaf. He felt his cheeks grow red. "Come on, it's not a big deal, besides I was just trying to be nice don't let it get to that already big head of yours,"

"Oh you're blushing; meaning you meant it," she took his hand and shook it in a similar manner that Pisti did. "Come on admit it, you think I'm cool,"

"Yamuraiha, stop flirting and come over here and practise!" Ms. Vinea called out from across the room. The other actors carried their attention over onto them and began to giggle between themselves.

Her heart jolted. "Sorry! I'll be right over-"

"Wait , give me a few minutes there's something I wanted to fix up on my friend's costume here," Sharrkan yelled back.

"You have five minutes," she went back to writing on her clipboard and checking on others'.

Yamuraiha raised her eyebrows. "Sharrkan what was that for-?"

He pulled off her wig and threw it into a nearby trash bin. "Turn around," he said in an almost whisper. Before she could argue he followed his sentence up with "just trust me,"

So she turned around. She was unsure of what he was doing to her hair, but she liked whatever it was. She felt as he carefully took pieces and pleated them together. Was he trying to braid it? He reached for some synthetic flowers on a nearby table. Her old self would have lost it by now; and have questioned what he had in mind about a hundred times. She enjoyed the silence and experienced the rare feeling of complete trust which she usually missed out on.

"Now look at yourself," he moved her to the mirror.

She had two braids that parted her hair at the front that joined together to make one braid at the back- it wasn't anything groundbreaking, but somehow she found herself being more comfortable with herself. "It looks great," she brought the braid to the side of her head to see the flowers he had incorporated. "It looks really great," she smiled at him.

"A thank you would suffice," he pinched her nose.

"Thank you," she said in a nasally tone. "I'm glad you're like a sister to me at times like these," she laughed realizing only seconds later it was kind of a weird thing to say. But he really did remind her of an older sister for a moment, since braiding hair was something her friend's older sister had done before.

Sharrkan let go of her nose as if it had combusted into flames. "Wait what?!" he questioned. It felt like a hammer was dropped onto his heart. "What do you mean sister-?"

"I meant like-"

"Yamuraiha over here! Five minutes is up you can talk it up after!" Ms. Vinea yelled, interrupting their ever so important conversation.

They practised a few scenes. Yamuraiha was happy with herself as she memorized not only her lines, but cued the others if they forgot at times. She was elated at the amount of praise she received from the other actors and . Things were falling into place so wonderfully, and to think she wasn't even going to audition.

x-x-x-x-x

"Hey could you give me a ride home?" Yamuraiha tugged on Sharrkan's sweater as he was walking away.

"Do you have money for gas?"

"Actually-" she began to rummage through her bag. She probably had 30 or so dollars in there somewhere, she could give him 10 it was the least she could do.

"It was a joke," he stopped her. "I don't charge my friends,"

"Oh," she slid her hand out from her bag. "I also wanted to say I'm sorry for saying you're like a sister to me- I didn't mean that doing hair wasn't masculine,"

"I never really cared about looking masculine because my self esteem won't allow something like that to even be a bother,"

"Then why did you seem so upset?"

Sharrkan sighed as he glanced at her genuinely dazed face. "You have really bad awareness at times don't you?" he said. "It's okay, don't worry about that, instead worry about Hamlet."

"You mean the play?"

"No I meant the guy playing Hamlet, I'm sure he has a crush on you," he sneered like a kid.

"Really?" Yamuraiha questioned. "I'm sure he was into the play, but not really me,"

"He was staring at you the whole time and I overheard him say; 'I'm sure glad they picked an attractive girl for this,'"

"Really?" Yamuraiha flicked her braid back and fluttered her eyelashes. "Well that changes everything." Though it didn't. The boy playing Hamlet was meek and she was almost certain that he was trying to get into the part.

Sharrkan laughed. "You're really easy to please aren't you?"

"Don't be jealous," she teased. "I know that I'm so incredible that everyone loves me, but you don't have to worry,"

"I think Pisti's personality is rubbing off on you,"

"But on a serious note, I'm flattered. I don't think anyone's ever really called me attractive, so I feel kind of strange in a good way,"

Well I was the first, Sharrkan thought as he remembered the night that they both got drunk; when he was talking nonsense and decided it was a great idea to film themselves. Though it wouldn't be the best thing to bring up how he had said she was the most attractive, that would probably mean he would never hear the end of it.

"Hey if you like him I could get his phone number for you." he offered her.

"No, no that's fine," Yamuraiha declined. "I guess I'm also nervous now since he'll probably be my first kiss."

Oh right, she had never kissed anyone before. "Are you okay with your first kiss being an act?"

"It's not like it's supposed to be a big deal or anything," she lied to herself. It was always a big deal to her. She had dreamt and made up scenarios in her head of how she would have gotten her first kiss. It would be in the late afternoon on a beach and there would definitely be guitar playing in the background softly. "I mean it's whatever, do you even remember your first kiss?" She shook off her fantasies.

"Nope," he admitted. "But I honestly wish I did. I don't remember my first time either, also wish I waited longer to do that."

"I didn't think you'd care much about that,"

"I don't really, but just if I had an opportunity to turn back time and not get involved with some people and be intimate with them I would." He blushed after he admitted that. "It's all whatever now, no need to dwell on the past right?"

"Now that you've said that I don't want to kiss him at all." She felt her stomach turn into a knot.

"You wanted to before?"

"Well, no, but now I'm nervous I'll regret that I didn't kiss anyone I actually liked before,"

"You still have time before the actual play, maybe you'll meet someone nice when we go away for spring break, then you don't have to worry about it being your first kiss or have any regrets. One thing I can promise is you won't regret a fling,"

"Ah nice pun," she nudged his arm. "I'll be on the lookout for the tall, dark, and handsome while we're at Sinbad's."

"You mean you'll be on the lookout for me?"

"And you tell me I'm the one with the big head,"

Writer: spring break chapter starts soon! Probably one more chapter in between and then the beginning of the 'drama'. Anyways hope you like it! Reviews help as always and thank you so much for enjoying!


	18. Bracelet

It took three suitcases to fit all of the things she would need on the trip. One for her crop tops and shorts, another for essentials, and the last one for swimsuits.

Pisti took pride in her organization skills. She zipped up all the luggage neatly and made sure there was not a thing out of place. She made sure to pack anything her friends might forget in her essentials bag. Some Advil in case Jafar was having one of his headaches, extra snacks in case Masrur was hungry, hair ties so that her boyfriend didn't have to push his hair back every five seconds, a neck pillow for Sinbad since he would have too much pride to get one for himself, a puzzle for Sharrkan (anything that would keep him busy and that would allow him to leave Jafar alone), and a book for Yamuraiha.

"It's ready!" she squealed to herself.

There was so much excitement building up inside her heart she felt as if it could burst. This was her first time being with a boyfriend on a trip and having her old friend accompany her. She grinned at all the possibilities.

So if I spend the time going there by bringing Sharrkan and Yamuraiha together I have the rest of vacation to bother them both about how good of a friend I am, she thought. That was going to be a challenge since she didn't know if Yamuraiha felt the same way as Sharrkan and if he was ever going to be able to make the first move.

The phone rang, she scrambled across her room to pick it up.

"Hello-" she paused, she didn't check who was calling, she had swiped to answer so quickly.

"Hey, Pisti." It was Yamuraiha.

"Oh hi!" She tried not sound overly excited to be talking with her friend. "Any reason for calling me?"

"Actually…" Yamuraiha's voice got quiet. "Can you please come help me pack? I've never been to a vacation like this before, I've searched up what I should bring, but that was really no help,"

"I can't come over right now because I have to run an errand with my sister, but Spartos is an excellent planner,want me to ask him to help you?" As much as Pisti wanted to leave Sharrkan and Yamuraiha together, she couldn't- not with this at least. Sharrkan was an awful packer and without a doubt leave Yamuraiha stressed, pissed, and not ready.

"Sure send anyone! I just need help!"

x-x-x-x-x

Spartos was greeted by a frantic Yamuraiha. Her hair all over the place, but that was no surprise as he had seen it like that frequently. She put her sweaty palms on his shoulders and looked at him with gratefulness.

"Are you alright?" He felt obligated to ask that.

"Yes, yes- why wouldn't I be?"

"You seem like you're a little stressed." A little was an understatement, yes, but it's not like it was his place or character to point out everything wrong with the picture.

Yamuraiha pushed her hair out of her face. "Yes, well- I'm-" she paused thinking of an explanation to give. "I'm having a bit of a hard time figuring out what to bring and I really don't like leaving out any detail you know me," her voice was shaky.

"It's alright, I'll help you with everything, that's why I'm here right?"

"Yes, well, let's not stand here in the doorway then," Yamuraiha motioned him to follow her. "Just a heads up, my room is a mess," she laughed to herself. "I was trying to find the perfect things, but I ended up just disorganizing everything."

Yamuraiha was right about her room being a mess. Spartos had never thought he would witness Yamuraiha's belongings in unrecognizable bundles thrown all over the room.

"It's really bad isn't it?"

"It's-" Spartos took another look around the room. "Yeah it's really bad," he agreed. "At least all of the clothing is out for you to choose and take with you." He kneeled down next to her suitcase, which was the only thing in the room that wasn't covered in other things. "I'll tell you everything you need," he pulled out his phone from his pocket. "Pisti sent me a list before I came here to make it easier for you," he smiled thinking about his girlfriend.

"That's wonderful!" Yamuraiha clapped her hands together.

"So first things first, swimwear-"

"Check," Yamuraiha dunked her bikini into the suitcase.

"White shirt if you have one so we can dye it when we're at Sinbad's," he studied Yamuraiha's confused expression. "It's a tradition we do."

"Alright, I'm sure I have one here somewhere." She rummaged through the piles of clothing on her floor only to find a bracelet. "This isn't mine," she held up the wooden beaded bracelet up to Spartos.

Spartos squinted his eyes. "I think that's Sharrkan's- wait what is his bracelet doing in your room?" he questioned.

Yamuraiha remembered back to the night that both her and Sharrkan drank too much together and when he woke up next to her. She didn't see him wearing a bracelet- granted he was in layers before and it was more than likely that is flew off when he fell asleep.

"It probably latched onto one of my sweaters somehow," she lied.

Spartos nodded, but he didn't believe her story, not one bit. "As long as there isn't any secret relationship going on,"

"What?!" Yamuraiha blushed madly. "There's nothing going on I swear!"

"I'm just teasing," Spartos explained. "I don't mind what goes on in your life." He looked back to his phone. "Well we can skip the white shirt for now the next thing on the list is-"

"Hey Spartos," Yamuraiha stopped him. She gulped. Was she really going to tell him? Well if she was going to confess to anyone it would be a good choice that he was the first. He could keep a secret after all.

"Huh?"

"I like Sharrkan."

"Yeah I do too,"

"No I mean, I like him a lot. I know this sounds out of the blue because you see us argue," she paused. "I don't think I've ever liked someone as much as him," she felt her voice crack, she was supposed to tell Spartos about her feelings not give him a verbal essay. "And I just don't know what to do because he seems so unattainable, and he's my friend. I don't want to make him uncomfortable."

Oh if only she knew that her feelings were reciprocated. All of this would be resolved within twenty minutes- an hour tops. Spartos however knew that again, it wasn't his place to meddle, so he did the only thing he could do: support her.

"Even if he doesn't see you that way that doesn't mean that it'll always be that way. I never really saw Pisti as anything more than a friend, but when she messaged me saying she liked me I realized that I felt the same all along. I took a step back and saw that she was there all along through everything, and that there's no one else that makes me laugh as much as she does," he scratched the back of his head. "There's other things that happened too, but that's personal…"

"Spartos!" She flew over next to him and took his hands. "Please promise me you won't tell anyone."

"I won't,"

"I think I will tell him, but I need a sign for the right time."

In the meanwhile he was going to try and give Sharrkan hints that he should confess. That wouldn't be meddling would it? He would just encourage him to realize his feelings and not hold them back. Maybe it was a little bit of meddling, yet what could he do? Pisti's influence was hovering over him.


	19. The Trip Begins

Sinbad's RV lived up to it's hype. Everything was color coordinated and stylish, as promised.

The floor was a dark brown marble- or at least looked like it. The kitchen looked as if it were taken out of a home magazine: dark counters with light marble accompanied by matching cupboards and fridge (Jafar did seem like a part time interior designer). By the kitchen there were booth tables on each side with cream vinyl seats stretching around them.

Thankfully, they left at three in the morning. It was getting closer and closer to summer which meant birds chirping and the sun rising at times which would normally be inappropriate. Had it been any lighter Yamuraiha was sure her father would see that it wasn't Pisti's sister driving, but the overly confident Sinbad.

Yamuraiha said goodbye to her father with ease however and she ran to the RV with her suitcase in tow.

"Pisti I thought you were going to get your sister to drive us to Sinbad's!" Yamuraiha said as she panted when she ran in. "Why didn't you even warn me?" Yamuraiha's questions turned to silence when she noticed Pisti sleeping on Spartos's lap.

He gave Yamuraiha a sheepish grin. "Sorry, she fell asleep at my house after she came over to show me her suitcase." He tucked some of Pisti's loose hairs behind her ear. "I couldn't get her to wake up no matter what."

"Oh yeah, she tried to maul me before," Sharrkan spoke up, but Yamuraiha couldn't see him.

Was the place really that big that she couldn't find a tall, snarky guy, or was it just because she was tired?

"Where the hell are you?" Yamuraiha squinted her eyes.

She saw Masrur leaning on the kitchen counter and doing, well- it looked like he was making himself a snack, but one could also argue he was pounding granola into a bowl with his bare fists for fun. And Pisti was fast asleep on Spartos's lap. She hadn't really seen Jafar or Sinbad yet, but she knew he was driving once she got a closer look at driver's seat. And she knew that anywhere Sinbad was; Jafar was also close.

"BOO!" Sharrkan interrupted her thoughts as he abruptly grabbed her shoulders.

She shrieked and shook off his grasp. "I could have socked you in the nose! How did I not even notice you behind me?" She put her hand on her chest. "Don't scare me like that."

Sharrkan's lips tightened. "I didn't think you would scared,"

"It's fine, I'm just high strung because I just lied to my dad and it's three in the morning,"

Jafar came out from the driver's room. He wore a cap that said 'first mate' on it and an unusual smile.

"So," he clapped his hands together, "I'm glad you could make it Yamuraiha, hope you got everything ready because we aren't going back for anything."

"Yes everything is in order I think I quadruple checked my stuff,"

"I think I forgot something," Sharrkan raised his hand.

"Huh what is it?!" Jafar questioned.

"The reason why you're wearing that embarrassing cap," he flicked his hat.

Jafar became a pale pink color. "SIN, I TOLD YOU IT WAS A BAD IDEA TO HAVE CAPTAIN-FIRST MATE HATS!" he yelled as he went back into the driver's room.

"Well now that, that's over," Sharrkan picked up Yamuraiha's suitcase. "I'll put it in the storage compartment if you don't mind?"

"No that would be nice thanks,"

She sat down in the booth opposite to Spartos and Pisti (they had fallen asleep, and she didn't want to be a bother). Sharrkan sat down next to her.

"So how do you like it?" he asked her.

She felt his elbow brush up against hers. His eyes staring at her intently, waiting for an answer. It was in that moment she saw how beautiful he was. She realized she liked him for his personality yes, but now she noticed how attractive he was as well. His skin was practically perfect (she couldn't find a blemish in sight), his lips were big, he had cheekbones which were unnaturally high, and his jaw was so sharp it could probably cut cheese.

Was he always this good looking? Or was it her conscious making him look better because she had fallen for him?

"It's really great, I'm glad I'm here." she answered.

Now would be a good time to stop staring at him. She reached into the pocket of the oversized jean jacket she had borrowed from her dad and pulled out her notebook. She didn't have to look him in the eye and accept her feelings if she was reading her script for the play.

"Are you going to practise your lines? Right now?"

"Well they are in front of me? And besides what else am I going to do right now? Can't hotbox the bathroom Jafar will just throw me out of the vehicle while it's moving," she joked.

He laughed. "Yeah, can't do that,"

"What do you usually do on these trips?"

"Just forget about everything and enjoy the scenery." He took a deep breath. "Hear that?"

She listened, but she couldn't hear anything other than the whir of the wheels and Spartos and Pisti's quiet snoring. She shook her head.

"Exactly, now is the perfect time to focus on something you want to focus. Or get some rest,"

"Actually I'm not tired at all, if anything I'm super nervous so I don't expect myself to fall asleep anytime soon."

"Well, I'm just going to doodle," Sharrkan pulled out a notebook similar to hers except it had blank pages, and a pen.

"I didn't know you drew,"

"I don't really, I'm trying to get into it. So far I can draw some animals well, and watermelons."

Yamuraiha stretched her arm across the table. "Draw on me." she said. "Just no profanity."

"Are you sure?"

She shrugged. "What else is there to do, and besides I want to criticize your skills,"

He rolled her eyes at her statement. "Thanks Yamuraiha." His hand held down her wrist and he began pushing the pen down on her skin (it tickled more than it should have).

She watched as he put his full concentration into the drawing. It was rare to see him not half ass something, usually things would come easily to him. He memorized his lines for the play with ease, and anything that he did he would treat as a game or breeze through. She liked to see him struggle, as strange as it may have sounded.

Yamuraiha noticed the faint light coming from the other window. It was becoming morning, she noticed more cars moving alongside them.

"You like birds right?" Sharrkan asked.

"I don't have any qualms against them."

Sharrkan chuckled. "Qualms, hah, you're so pretentious Yam." He put his thumb in from of her mouth. "Spit, I made a mistake."

"Can't you use your saliva?" She moved his hand with hers.

"You want to use my saliva on your arm as pen eraser? I'm down, but I'm pretty sure you won't be."

"You're right," Yamuraiha grabbed his hand and brought it up to her mouth. "This is actually so gross- why don't you use water?"

"Because it's like four in the morning and I'm tired, and the water is all the way over there,"

"You're pointing to a place that's two steps away from you, we're in an RV not- wait, I had a joke for this,"

Sharrkan spit on his thumb and began erasing. She wouldn't notice while she was searching for her joke. He was sure that it wouldn't be that good of a joke, but he would have still laughed. It wouldn't be because he was trying to impress her or anything, no, it would be her stupid expression and snorts that would make him laugh. He could tell when she wasn't being genuine, but when she was he experienced the same feelings he did as when he would come home into unexpected warmth after freezing outside.

"Hey did you just rub your spit on my arm?" She tried to jerk away the hand he was drawing on, but with no success as he held it down tightly. "Sharrkan you're seriously gross!"

"I'll let you spit on my arm if that makes you feel any better,"

She sighed. "No it won't make me feel any better, two gross actions don't make a right."

"It depends what the gross actions are, a lot of them are definitely right." He winked at her.

Her eyes widened and her mouth flew open.

"Sorry!" he corrected himself, remembering jokes like that didn't resonate well with her. "I wasn't making a pass at you-"

"It's alright," she said nervously.

"Anyways, it's done," he let go of her wrist. "I drew two budgies, I'm not that great at most things, but birds are easy to do,"

Yamuraiha studied the two birds on her arm. They were exceptionally well done, and in such a short amount of time too! It would have taken her two hours, but it took him twenty minutes.

"You're full of surprises aren't you?"

"It took you until now to realize?"

She shook her head. "No I always knew, just took time to admit it." She put her head on his shoulder. "You don't mind if I use you as a head rest do you?"

"Only because you don't smell like an old woman this time."

She laughed. "You're really awful you know that?"

"Yeah, but you're still friends with me anyways,"

Writer: finally some actual sharryamu moments... HOPE YOU LIKE THIS PLEASE REVIEW AND MAYBE GIVE SUGGESTIONS WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF? I'll try to write some stuff in based on suggestions!


	20. Intermission

"What about this one do you like this one?" Pisti asked as she tried on another cap. She posed for Spartos and Masrur.

"It looks great just like all the other ones before it," Spartos said, exhausted. "Pisti can we just go get Sinbad and walk back to the RV?" He had been sweating in his sweater for the past thirty minutes. There was no fan in the store. Not that it entirely wasn't his fault (he was wearing a sweater), but it could have been cooler in the shop.

"No," she said as she put the cap back on the rack. "And besides he's over there posing in t-shirts for Jafar, and he doesn't seem to have a problem with it."

Sinbad was flexing as he tried on shirts in front of Jafar, who was very patiently waiting and nodding in agreement.

"See why don't we have what they have?" Pisti questioned.

Spartos gave an audible sigh. "Pisti come on, I'm trying my best here, also don't look at Jafar and Sinbad for relationship goals because I'm pretty sure I hear Jafar scream out of frustration at least once a day."

"Well, if anyone is screaming out of frustration in this relationship it's me," Pisti put her hand on her chest to exaggerate her point. "You're always busy at the pharmacy, and don't have much free time, and now that I get to spend time with you, you seem so unhappy," she pouted.

"Come on, Pisti, you know I love spending time with you- I just have a lot on my plate." The thing on his plate now was the fear of heat exhaustion, but he didn't want to mention that- he would definitely have to explain the reason for wearing a sweater, which was his insecurity.

"Speaking of the pharmacy," Masrur interrupted. "Does Matal still go there?"

"You mean Yamuraiha's dad?" Spartos asked. "Yeah I see him a lot, but I don't work behind the actual pharmacy counter, just where they sell non prescription stuff and snacks."

"Yamuraiha told me something about him acting a bit weird the past few months," Pisti added. "Do you know what medication he's getting?"

"Not that it's anyone's business, but I think I overheard him say something about arrhythmia- maybe he has tachycardia? Apparently he's not doing too well? Again, it's not anyone's business and I shouldn't have shared." Spartos mumbled.

"Does Yamuraiha know?" Masrur asked.

"I don't think so," Pisti answered, "when I asked her if she knew what was going on with him she shrugged and assumed it was a mid life crisis of some sort. Which is funny considering Matal is in his early 70s',"

"But don't tell Yamuraiha what I told you- I'm certain I'm not even supposed to know about it." Spartos said.

"I promise, I promise," Pisti said.

"No seriously Pisti, and I'm saying this not to get you angry, but because I care; please don't even hint at the possibility of him having a health problem to her,"

"Yeah, knowing Yamuraiha she'll constantly worry," Masrur added.

"Do you guys think of me as that much of a blabbermouth?!"

"Yes." Spartos and Masrur answered in unison.

Pisti crossed her arms. "Fine, if you have that much mistrust in me, I'll never even mention it, and prove you wrong."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

It was mid day when Yamuraiha had woken up. Beside her Sharrkan continued snoring. It was much too similar to their 'incident' a few months back. Except this time she was calm and found the moment sweet.

She took the note that was left on the booth table.

It read:

'We stopped moving for a bit to buy souvenirs. You guys were sleeping and didn't want to wake you. We left the windows half way open (hope it won't be too hot), but the doors are locked and I have the keys. We'll be back soon. -Jafar'

She moved away slowly, trying her best not to wake him. Maybe she would make breakfast, well, by now it was lunch. But she would have to wash up and go to the bathroom first. Sinbad had to have one in his RV.

Her suitcase had her baby blue sundress inside. She would wear that. Hey, maybe Sharrkan would finally notice her in it? And even if he didn't, it would be okay because she knew that she liked her dress.

She didn't think that there would be a shower in the bathroom, but she didn't think an RV like this existed.

She glanced down at her arm and saw that the budgies were still there.

"Sorry Sharrkan," she said, knowing his work would be washed away.

She had to take a shower, it was the perfect opportunity. It would be harder to take one later when the RV was moving again.

By the time she scrubbed, washed, dressed, and made herself up (yes, she started wearing a little bit of makeup), she heard the voices of her friends in the RV. They came back at the perfect time. She came out of the bathroom feeling refreshed.

"Hello everyone!" she chirped.

They returned her with greetings.

"Don't you look cute," Pisti complimented her.

Yamuraiha did sort of a mini spin and said; "why thank you," she fluttered her eyelashes.

"Well you're certainly dressed for when we go out for dinner later in a few hours," Jafar said. He put his hands together and studied her like a mom would before sending her child off on the first day of school. In awe and with much pride. "I'm so happy to see you this confident, I don't think I've seen you wear something like this before-"

"I guess acting in the school play gave me new found confidence,"

"You look wonderful," Sinbad added.

She blushed.

"Is Sharrkan still sleeping?" Pisti walked over to the booth where he was. She carefully slid over next to him, moved the piece of hair which was covering his ear, got really close and yelled; "WAKE UP! DON'T BE RUDE, NOTICE YAMURAIHA SHE LOOKS SO GOOD!" She tapped his shoulder quickly as if it were a drum.

Yamuraiha shot a death stare at Spartos, worried that he might have told Pisti her secret. He shook his head wildly.

Sharrkan cursed and flailed his arms. "Wha- what's going on?!" he demanded. "Can't you let me sleep?!" No words could describe how pissed his expression was. "What could have been possibly so important that you had to wake me up?"

Pisti backed away slowly. "I just, I thought that you wanted to see Yamuraiha and how cute she looks."

The RV went silent and everyone's head turned to Yamuraiha.

Sharrkan glanced at Yamuraiha. "She looks the same everyday," and he turned away from them. "If you don't mind I'm going to take a piss," he brushed himself off and made his way down the hall, passing Yamuraiha without paying her even a second more of his attention.

She would be lying if she said she was completely unphased by his lack of approval. But then again, herself and everyone else liked this dress and that was more than enough to keep her flaunting it.

Sinbad cleared his throat. "Well, I guess me and Jafar will get back to driving," he put his hand on Jafar's shoulder. "Come along, don't want to keep everyone waiting,"

"Yamu I'm sorry-" Pisti began.

"It's alright." she stopped her. She didn't need an apology for anything. It wasn't worth making a big deal out of it. "It's the reaction I expected?" she shook off Pisti's remorse and pity. Actually, it wasn't the reaction she expected at all, she felt that they had been getting closer and closer the past few weeks and now it was like the beginning again. Was he just cranky? Hungry? She didn't think she would get any big reaction out of him, but a simple; 'you look nice,' would have sufficed.

"Anyways," Spartos interjected. "We'll probably be having dinner in a few hours so make sure not to eat anything too filling before then,"

"I'm sure I won't." Yamuraiha said. Surprisingly, her appetite was gone.

Writer: I READ YOUR REVIEWS AND SUGGESTIONS. NEXT CHAPTER IS GOING TO BE FULL OF FLUFF! (and maybe a little bit of foreshadowing) Also I know it's kind of lame to write writer's notes, but I like to write them a lot! I've had this chapter done for about 4 days, but I forget to upload.


	21. Forget-me-Not

Yamuraiha rested her head against the window of the now moving R.V. She let out a dreamy sigh as she saw the beautiful scenery they were passing through. The wildflowers in bloom encouraged her good mood. She felt like an idiot for smiling so much, but she really couldn't help. Even Sharrkan's recent silence and irritated behaviour couldn't bring her down.

Sharrkan on the other hand; felt more annoyed than ever. His friends were really pushing his buttons by making his feelings towards Yamuraiha more evident. At this point he was certain she had an inkling of his affection towards her- she really couldn't have been that dense to not notice.

He studied as the light of the afternoon sun outlined her face and figure, and just like that- his annoyance towards his friends was gone. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if she knew. She was just an awkward girl he happened to like- well, maybe more than like, but it definitely wasn't love- at least not romantic love. Would he ever tell her the way he feels? He did try before. If she knew, she was probably going to be reasonable. Worst case scenario, they would have an uncomfortable conversation and their friendship would crumble. But then again, if she really was his friend she wouldn't let his feelings towards her change that.

His mind raced with all the outcomes that they would experience if he did choose to confess. Most of them negative, but the positive ones, they were more than enough to convince him that he should at least tell her the truth once.

"Hey, Yamuraiha," he called out to her.

"Hm?" she turned to him.

"Sorry, for brushing you off like that before,"

"That's alright," she said happily. "You had just woken up, and we were making noise." The old her would have used this as an opportunity to scold him and make him feel guilty.

"No, but you really do look nice,"

"Oh," Yamuraiha framed her face with her hand. "Have I finally managed to captivate your heart?" she joked. She wore a rather smug grin as she awaited his witty response.

"What if I told you, that you did?" he said confidently.

That was unexpected. She felt something pull at her heart. Even though she knew he wasn't being serious she couldn't help but be happy to hear those words.

"Hey and what if I told you that we can hear everything you two are saying?" Pisti remarked. "I mean we are in a closed in space, but I guess you two don't notice since you usually forget about everyone else when you're together," she teased.

Sharrkan and Yamuraiha both became red faced.

"That's not true!" Yamuraiha exclaimed. "I knew everyone was here, I was just joking around!"

"Asking a question in a flirty manner isn't really joking, it's just flirting." Pisti chirped.

"And what's wrong with that?" Yamuraiha questioned, and immediately regretted speaking at all after she had realized what she said.

A smile grew on Pisti's face. "You even picked up his bad habits, that's a sure sign that you two are going to be together."

"What are we in grade school?" Sharrkan huffed. "It's a proven fact friends- and I'll say it again so you guys understand- FRIENDS mimic each other's behaviour."

"Yeah, Sharrkan even picked up a book since we met that's gotta count for something!" Yamuraiha added.

He shot her a look of disdain. "Thank you Yamuraiha, that statement didn't bother me at all," he said sarcastically.

"No problem," she replied in an equally sarcastic tone.

x-x-x-x-x

They stopped in a part of a city that looked much like a town. But not just any plain looking town- the type of town that is seen being romanticized in every movie, the one that is given a lengthy description in novels to make the reader want to move, a town that makes people want to go out and find their soulmate just so they can visit it together and sit in one of the many patio cafés and share an overpriced tea together.

"You can tell this is a rich area, because everyone smells like fabric softener and they all dress like you could sell them a gram for 20," Sharrkan joked.

"A gram of what?" Spartos asked. "Surely sugar prices aren't that high."

"Spartos, honey," Pisti put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure I explained this to you before,"

Yamuraiha ran over to a flower shop. "Take my picture, take my picture!" she exclaimed. She needed proof of herself looking happy and beautiful in front of a store that looked too good to be true.

"Yamuraiha wanting a picture of herself?" Jafar questioned. "You must be feeling really confident, huh?"

She nodded. "Come," she held out her phone for someone to take. "Someone please take a picture while the sun is still out."

Spartos took her phone. "Okay whenever you're ready!"

She threw up two peace signs and a huge smile. She was really being herself. Her old self- free and laid back. With no worries about getting out of line or looking too gaudy- too awkward. She was happy with herself. And she knew she deserved that happiness.

"Thank you!" She took her phone back from him. "These look great!" she said as she swiped through her phone. Her blue hair and dress were complimented by the pink peonies in the store window and the sand coloured brick encompassing it.

Well, it doesn't take more than good lighting to make her look great, Sharrkan thought.

"Hey, do you guys mind if I look inside?" Yamuraiha asked them. "I've never been to a hipster shop like this one, well I have, but it's never been this pretty."

"Nope, not at all." Sinbad answered. "Actually me, Masrur, and Jafar wanted to take a quick look around before dinner."

"Me and Spartos also had some things planned," Pisti lied. She had nothing planned, but if anything having Sharrkan and Yamuraiha alone together would be in her best interests and theirs'.

Sharrkan saw through her facade, but this time he wasn't going to be mad. "I guess I'll have to keep this one company then," he pulled Yamuraiha closer to him.

Yamuraiha opened her mouth to say something, but before she could everyone disappeared.

"Sorry they had you be stuck with me," she said.

Sharrkan scoffed. "And here I was thinking you were finally done with self deprecating statements."

She shook her head. "I'll never be done!" She said reluctantly as she took his hand. "Let's go inside,"

"I was planning on standing outside, really." he retorted. "But since you insist,"

Flowers hung everywhere they looked, and where they weren't hanging they were decorated and arranged into bouquets. The prices were written on chalkboards the size of a human's palm and accompanied by small doodles of roses.

"I've never seen so many flowers before-" she exclaimed and her eyes twinkled as she glanced back at him. "Oh look, they even have a bucket with free daisies," she picked one up from the small metal bucket.

"Here," he took the flower from her hands. "I'll put it in your hair." He moved her blue bangs aside and slid it into her hair. "There, you look like some sort of- uh, flower angel?" He couldn't come up with anything better, and he wasn't about to say something poetic.

"Thanks," she giggled. "Oh what're those flowers behind you-" she gently nudged him to the side.

"I think those are red spider lilies," he said.

"How do you know that?" she asked as she took out her phone to take a picture of the plant.

"I think after reading Hamlet I looked up a bunch of stuff on symbolism and plants were there- this was an important plant, but I have no idea what it means." He would be lying if he wasn't slightly embarrassed to admit that. What kind of teenager is so invested into literature that they research plant symbolism?

"Well, I love it." Yamuraiha stated. "It's so gorgeous." She studied the delicate red flower, it was probably her favorite. It was irregular and thin and it's petals curved backwards. "It looks like the awkward friend of all the flowers," she joked.

"But I do remember what this plant means," he picked up a small pot filled with tiny blue flowers off of a nearby shelf. "Do you know what this one is called?"

She shook her head.

"Forget-me-not."

"That's fitting," she laughed.

"You usually give these flowers to someone that you would want to remember you,"

Her face lit up. "Okay then I'll buy them! I'll give them to you as a present!" She reached for the pot, but he pulled it out of her reach.

"What are you dying soon?"

"No, but next year I'm going to a university and I won't be able to visit as much so I want to give you something-"

"Yeah, but a plant is… a plant. Why don't you get me a lighter or something simple. No need to be poetic with stuff like this."

"And I thought you were the type that would like something like this," she pouted. "I think a symbolic gift is really special. Also I would rather you think of me every time you look at a flower instead of every time you decide to spark it."

"Honestly, knowing me I would probably spark it more often than look at flowers." he smirked.

"You told me you don't even smoke anymore!"

"Yeah, but next year I won't have you nagging me, so I can't make any promises."

"Then I'm definitely buying this. So that when I'm not around, you can look at this flower and feel guilty whenever you're about to do something you promised not to, and I know you well enough now that I am certain you will feel guilty if you aren't true to your word."

His nose scrunched up."Then you should tattoo it on me, because I'm not carrying a plant around to parties." he said reluctantly. "I saw a tattoo parlour across from here, so if you want us to ignore dinner and get a needle and ink in our skin then, by all means, I'll get some forget-me-nots."

She crossed her arms, then she uncrossed them as her face lit up with an idea. "Let's get them!" she chirped.

"What?" His eyes widened.

"The tattoos!"

"Tattoos take like seven hours to finish, and I was being facetious."

"Not if they're tiny, the tiny ones take about an hour, maybe two- tops! My friend has one half the size of a playing card on her wrist." she tried to convince him.

"We'd be missing dinner…"

"I'll make you dinner, when we get back into the R.V., whatever you want. Come on, it'll be quick, I promise- we can both get a tiny tattoo. They'll let us do it then and there."

"But it's so sudden, like I've always wanted tattoos, but this is-"

"Let's be spontaneous. It'll be a itty-bitty thing on your wrist or wherever-"

He sighed knowing that he was going to get swayed into her crazy antics. "Fine." He exhaled. "I can't believe I'm getting a tattoo of an obscure flower." He linked arms with her. "Let's go,"

She smiled widely. "Thank you!" She leaned her head on his arm. "You are the greatest,"

"Yeah, yeah, I just wonder how my aunt will react, like; 'hey instead of getting matching friendship bracelets we got matching friendship tattoos,'"

"They won't be matching." she said matter of factly.

"Then what will yours be?"

"A red spider lily,"

"You don't even know what that means."

"Don't be pretentious about your plant knowledge, I know I like it. And besides it's a flower what's the worst it could mean?"

Writer: I always thought they would be sponteanous about everything so I guess this chapter fits. Added a lil bit of fluff for all y'all, although I don't know how well it's written. Haven't been feeling the writing mood, but your reviews mean the world to me! Search up some symbolism maaaaybe if you're interested, because what the heck is Yamu permentatly marking onto herself.


	22. Do You Like Me?

"Are you crazy?!" Jafar demanded when he saw the minuscule drawings on Yamuraiha and Sharrkan's red wrists. "What possessed you do convince Yamuraiha to do something like this- I mean I know you don't care about what happens, but she-"

Yamuraiha covered her wrist back up with the tiny bandage. "Actually I was the one that suggested it," she sheepishly admitted. Her cheeks were tinged red from embarrassment.

Jafar darted his eyes away from Sharrkan's to avoid feeling guiltier than he was already.

"Thanks so much for believing that everything remotely troublesome that happens to you is caused by me." Sharrkan huffed.

They all met back up in the van quite later than planned. Yamuraiha and Sharrkan's tattoos surprisingly took less time than everyone else's dinner at a restaurant.

"When you said you wanted a look around town instead of dinner I thought you guys just wanted to eat alone." Spartos said. "I'm glad I was wrong, your tattoos look nice."

"They were really cheap too! We didn't get them coloured in or anything and because they're so tiny they didn't take long at all!" Yamuraiha chirped. She was glad that she decided on the minimalistic look.

"You do know that you can't go swimming now right?" Jafar scolded.

Sharrkan's face dropped. "What?! They didn't tell me that!"

"The artist probably assumed you knew." Spartos said.

"Maybe me and you should get one," Sinbad put an arm around Jafar. "Be all risky and young."

"What do you mean young? You're pushing thirty old man," Jafar brushed him off, much to his discontent. He sighed, took another look at Yamuraiha and Sharrkan's anxious faces and said: "They are pretty," softly.

"So you approve?" Sharrkan nudged him. "I finally have your blessing?"

"Yeah, yeah, if you get in infected I will seriously cancel everything. And I mean everything in your life, I will call your aunt and your brother and-"

"I'll get a ouija board so you can talk to my mom too." he joked.

Jafar tightly closed his mouth. "Don't joke like that." he said in an almost whisper. He then proceeded to pull Sinbad by his sleeve towards the steering wheel. "Come on, we still have a few hours of driving,"

"If Pisti was awake she would definitely fight you or laugh- or both." Spartos said.

Spartos had to carry her halfway from the restaurant since she had latched into him and refused to walk another step. He didn't mind carrying her, she was about the same weight as his backpack with a few bulky textbooks inside.

"It's a good thing she's asleep then huh?" Yamuraiha put her hand on Sharrkan's shoulder hoping to brighten the mood.

But then again what was there to brighten? He had made a joke- a bit of a dark one, but it was a joke. Shock humour, for whatever reason didn't really sit well with Jafar. And maybe it was something to do with Jafar's clouded past. And maybe it did make her feel uncomfortable with it also, but she didn't know how to respond. How could she empathize or react when she's never had a mother?

"I think I'm going to go to sleep also," Spartos yawned as he took a seat beside Pisti. "If anyone wakes me up I will wake up my girlfriend and tell her that one of you did it."

Sharrkan shuddered at thought. A sleep deprived Pisti was on his list of top fears, right in between Jafar's wrath and those weird shoes with toes.

"Don't worry about us, we'll be quiet," Yamuraiha locked her arm onto Sharrkan's. "Now I hope you don't mind us making some grilled cheese."

"Just don't burn the R.V. down," Spartos said.

"Great, let's get cooking Sharrkan," Yamuraiha attempted to pull a stubborn Sharrkan into the kitchen. "You're not coming with me, why aren't you coming with me?" she questioned.

"You told me that you would cook something, well I was promised whatever I wanted to eat and also never did you say that I would have to help you make it."

Yamuraiha rolled her eyes. "Fine." She unlinked her arm from his.

x-x-x-x-x

"So how is it?" Yamuraiha asked him.

"Not terrible." he answered as he finished chewing.

They sat side by side, with almost no space between their elbows. They didn't even realize it, but somehow they would probably have sat farther from one another if the others were awake.

"Not terrible? That's all you give me? Sharrkan I had to spend about ten minutes preparing this delicately crafted meal for you and that's all you have to say? I'm so hurt." She played up an act. She did need to practise.

"Right, right." he laughed to himself. "I saw you throw a crudely cut piece of cheese onto some frozen bread and call it a day. I also saw you kind of sneeze on it from the corner of my eye."

"I tried not to!" she exclaimed, a little embarrassed. "And you're still eating it, which makes you the gross one."

Sharrkan shrugged. "Sneeze bread is cheese bread," he smiled widely when he saw her hiding her grin from him.

"I'm so glad you're an articulate poet." She sighed. "I think I realized why we get along despite our differences though."

"I don't really care to know, but I'm sure your big head will want to explain, so to save my breath, take it away,"

"Well, this is going to sound weird, but I think it's because we both run away from everything." she whispered the second half of the sentence. And then she looked at how he went from happy to puzzled.

He was expecting her to say: sense of humour, stubbornness, love for spontaneous actions, but not running away.

He cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"When I first saw you I thought; wow this guy is really confident. Until I figured out that you're really not." She watched as his face turned sour. "I don't mean that in a rude way," she explained. "It's just that I see the way you act, and you can deflect anything with humour-"

"Yeah that's called being positive,"

"No, no, but I think that sometimes instead of facing your problems you distract yourself any way you can; humour, girls, parties. I know because I distract myself by drinking and complaining about, well, anything and everything."

"So we're both weak and use unhealthy coping mechanisms, you do realize that's about 80% of our peers, right?" He crossed his arms. "The only difference is we take it to the extreme. You can drink until you're about two sips from death and I smoked in the school bathroom because I wanted to take my mind off of a problem. We're both awful and we can admit it." He winked at her surprised face. "A womanizer that's not evil and uptight alcoholic, I think we're a pretty good team."

She loved that he agreed with her. She loved that she could actually talk to him about her feelings more than anything. She would hide what she was thinking with her Matal because she didn't want to disappoint her father. She couldn't talk to a lot of her friends because she felt that if they knew her- really knew her, they wouldn't like her that much anymore. But with him it was different. It didn't matter what it was he would always listen. Even if he teased or joked he would still take her seriously.

Yamuraiha put her head on his shoulder. "Yeah," she said wistfully. "I'm glad you think so too."

"You know most friends don't get this close." he whispered.

"What's your point?" she said bluntly.

His heart jolted. Did she really say that? "What do you mean by that?" His cheeks got hot.

"Think of it what you must." She was done with playing around and decided that she was tired of sitting on the sidelines of life. If he wanted to accept her feelings then great- if not- what was there to lose? She was certain he would still continue being her friend. This was her second spontaneous decision of the day.

He felt himself sweating, an action he was pretty sure no other person had ever made him do before. "I uh-"

"If you want me to move back you can."

"No, it's just that- are you drunk?"

"No. Also you're acting like this is my first time being this close to you."

"Yeah, but you usually don't act like this." He scratched the back of his head. "I don't mind it, but it's different."

"Good different?"

"I mean, I'm not sure, but I'm not exactly complaining." His hand hovered above hers, unsure whether to hold it or not.

She was definitely the most complicated girl he's ever been interested in. He didn't know if this was some weird acting exercise or if she was just being friendly. Usually this meant she liked him. But this was Yamuraiha. The same girl that cuddled and flirted with him when she was drunk and kicked him out the morning after. The girl that would whine and whine to him about the most useless stuff and then give him an articulate speech on how their friendship made sense. She would drive him crazy in one minute with and plead him to get a tattoo the next.

Yamuraiha looked down at his hand floating over hers then she looked up at him and smiled. "Thinking of something?"

"Yeah, a lot of things."

The number one thing on his mind? The thing he wanted to say most?

"Yamuraiha do you like me?"

Writer: things are heating up kind of. I know they had a talk similar to this one in earlier chapters but this time instead of deflecting it they are more mature (at least I hope I made it seem that way, I'm trying to show growth? Haha) ANYWAYS PLEASE REVIEW AND STUFF EVEN IF ITS LIKE AN LOL IT MEANS A LOT! THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT!


	23. Awkward

"Of course I do," she replied. "Of course I like you what kind of question is that?" she sheepishly laughed off the question. She realized she had made a big mistake.

She stared at a photo of diamonds that hung on a wall across from the table booth they were sitting in. She would have much rather looked at Sharrkan, but her eyes wouldn't allow it.

"No, but I mean as in like a romantic way?" He felt his heart tug for a few seconds. He didn't want to hear her response. He noticed she looked away from him. Probably to avoid his awkward question.

She lifted her head off his shoulder and turned away her face from him slightly. "What would you do if I said I did?" she asked in a hushed tone.

He felt time freeze when she said that. She liked him! And not just as a friend! As something more! This was what he wanted. Except this wasn't the feeling he was expecting. He thought this moment would be happier and lighter if it were to happen. But he felt a weird mix of anxiousness and excitement. He had no idea what to do.

"I uhm,"

"Forget it." She shook her head and he watched as the waves of her blue hair softly bounced side to side. "I probably made you uncomfortable," she said, her voice cracked. She got up and shuffled over him to leave.

This was it. She was going to get turned down, and what's worse she made the stupid decision of confessing her feelings in an enclosed space. An R.V. which she couldn't escape from (well she could if she barrel rolled out of the moving vehicle, but a bruised heart is better than broken bones). And to add to that she had to be with him the whole break. The whole break was going to suck because she couldn't keep her big mouth shut.

She really thought that she changed enough to deal with the answer. And it seemed that way too. She had evolved into a better, easier going version of herself. Yet when she saw his horrified face she knew. She knew no matter how much she would change she could never deal with that kind of rejection. Yes, she knew he would still be her friend, that wasn't even an issue at this point. It was the fact that this feeling had stung so much more than she had anticipated.

"Wait." He grabbed her hand just as she was about to step another step.

Her face turned back to him and she tugged her hand. "You don't need to say anything I understand." Her voice cracked more. Her face was getting redder by the moment.

"I'm pretty sure you don't, judging by your expression." He pulled her in closer.

She pulled away. "Don't grab me again I'll scream and tell everyone it was your fault."

Sharrkan laughed. A little too loudly, but it eased the tension- at least for him anyways. "You are really awful at dealing with rejection aren't you?"

"Why are you laughing?" A tear streamed down her face she was going to start sobbing soon. "If this is funny to you then-"

"Sorry, I just can't believe that I have become attached to such a brat," he said. "I mean, really you thought I was rejecting you and you storm off- and to top it off you were planning to storm off to a bathroom, not really dramatic really."

Her face lit up."What was that? Did you say you were attached to me? As in you like me?" She wiped her face.

"I can't believe I had to tell you, I mean it was so obvious."

She sat next to him. She was sure her heart grew larger. "What? No it wasn't! You were so nice to me- but you're so nice to everyone else!" Her tears had evaporated.

"Yeah, and that's how I saw you too. I thought that it was natural that you were being so friendly with me."

"What do we do now?" she asked.

"I would definitely kiss you among other things, but seeing as we are in a moving vehicle only a few steps away from our sleeping friends that's not exactly a good idea."

She smiled at him. "Well, then can I ask you a question?" she said sweetly.

"You can't have my credit card information." he said bluntly.

"No," she giggled. "I meant when did you start liking me?"

"Liking you?" He scratched the back of his head. "I think I always liked you."

Fireworks went out in her head. This was truly the best feeling she had ever experienced. She smiled at him like an idiot. She cupped her hands in her face and studied him longingly. It was almost as if she had turned into a cartoon.

"I really started liking you about a few months back actually, and I couldn't explain why, but there was just something about you that just made me always want to be with you." He shrugged and turned away to hide his blushing face.

The rest of their night was filled with them chatting away about everything and anything. They talked about school, clothes, food, conspiracies, booze, hobbies- and not once did they feel bored or hold back their voice. They were awkward, yes, but they trusted each other.

They held hands underneath the table and wished that time would stop.

It was all too perfect. The gentle whir of the R.V., the dim lights that peered through the window ever so often, the sound of their hearts fluttering. They cherished every moment.

"I'm glad you decided to be spontaneous," Sharrkan yawned, he was too tired to speak normally, yet too excited to fall asleep.

"Me too," she said as she squeezed his hand tighter. "Me too."

Writer: they are awkward, but still kinda cute haha. Tried to convey a realistic talk between them, without giving it unnecessary drama. Please review thanks again!


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